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9 770032 617002
ISSN 0032-6178
R.N. 2585/57 REGISTERED Postal Registration No. Kol.RMS/096/201315
Published on 1 August 2014
August 2014
Vol. 119, No. 8
`

10.00
A monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order
started by Swami Vivekananda in 1896
P
RABUDDHA

B
HARATA
or AWAKENED INDIA
July 2014
Vol. 119, No. 7
`

10.00
started by Swami Vivekananda in 1896
P
RABUDDHA

B
HARATA
or AWAKENED INDIA
W
hen night passes into day, and day
into night, a state of relative calmness
ensues. The early morning and the early
evening are the two periods of calmness.
Your body will have a like tendency to
become calm at those times. We should take
advantage of that natural condition and
begin then to practise. Make it a rule not to
eat until you have practised; if you do this,
the sheer force of hunger will break your
laziness. Those of you who can afford it will
do better to have a room for this practice
alone. Do not sleep in that room, it must be
kept holy. You must not enter the room until
you have bathed, and are perfectly clean in
body and mind. Place fowers in that room
always; they are the best surroundings for
a Yogi; also pictures that are pleasing. Burn
incense morning and evening. Have no
quarrelling, nor anger, nor unholy thought
in that room. Only allow those persons to
enter it who are of the same thought as you.
Then gradually there will be an atmosphere
of holiness in the room, so that when you are
miserable, sorrowful, doubtful, or your mind
is disturbed, the very fact of entering that
room will make you calm. The idea is that
by keeping holy vibrations there the place
becomes and remains illumined. Those who
cannot afford to have a room set apart can
practise anywhere they like. Sit in a straight
posture, and the frst thing to do is to send
THE ROAD TO WISDOM
a current of holy thought to all creation.
Mentally repeat, Let all beings be happy;
let all beings be peaceful; let all beings be
blissful. So do the east, south, north, and
west. The more you do that the better you
will feel yourself. You will fnd at last the
easiest way to make ourselves healthy is to
see that others are healthy, and the easiest
way to make ourselves happy is to see that
others are happy. After doing that, those
who believe in God should praynot for
money, not for health, nor for heaven; pray
for knowledge and light; every other prayer
is selfsh. Then the next thing to do is to
think of your own body, and see that it is
strong and healthy; it is the best instrument
you have. Think of it as being as strong as
adamant, and that with the help of this body
you will cross the ocean of life. Freedom is
never to be reached by the weak. Throw
away all weakness. Tell your body that it is
strong, tell your mind that it is strong, and
have unbounded faith and hope in yourself.
From The Complete Works of Swami
Vivekananda, (Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 2013),
1.162-64.
Swami Vivekananda on
Beginning Meditation
Contents
Vol. , No.
July
started by Swami Vivekananda in
P
RABUDDHA
B
HARATA
or AWAKENED INDIA
Traditional Wisdom
Tis Month
Editorial: Sri Ramakrishnas Grand Unincation
Sri Ramakrishna: Conuence of Jnana and Bhakti
Dr I S Madugula
Swami Vivekananda in Chicago: New Iindings
Asim Chaudhuri
Sri Ramakrishna: Transforming Lives
Sibatosh Bagchi
Swami Vivekanandas Concept of Nature
Ms Rajani Rao U
Tose Who Defected from Swami Vivekananda
Sudesh Garg
Swami Vivekanandas , Hs Iormula
Dr Alpana Ghose
Comprehensive Lducation
in the Light of Swami Vivekananda
Rajeshri Trivedi
Signincance of Shodashi Puja
Brahmachari Chandikachaitanya
Lternal Words
Swami Adbhutananda
Reviews
Reports
Managing Lditor
Swami Tattwavidananda
Lditor
Swami Satyamayananda
Associate Lditor and Design
Swami Madhurananda
Proofreading
Sabra and Vriju Aswani
Production Lditor
Swami Narasimhananda
Cover Design
Alimpan Ghosh
General Assistance
Swami Vimohananda
Swami Vibhatmananda
Circulation
Indrajit Sinha
Tapas Jana
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411 PB July 2014
=|-t=- t=- t= t|:t=tt- i
Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached!
Traditional
Wisdom
; --=t ===tt|-=t=t i --| ==:tt- i
== == =|-==t == --= == =|-t= i ;-t =t=t|= === ;=-
=t m-= r= -t ii ;|- i = r= = =r=t|
=r|= t=--t|= --=mt======--==tm= ==t-=t =m
=t== ;-==t=== ii
Tis is that meditation on things mutually helpful, which Dadhyac, versed
in the Atharva Veda, taught the Ashvins (twin gods). Perceiving this the rishi
said: (God) transformed himself in accordance with each form; that form
of his was for the sake of making him known. On account of maya God is
perceived as manifold, for to him are yoked ten organs, nay, hundreds of them.
He is the organs; he is ten and thousandsmany and infnite. Tat Brahman
is without prior and posterior, without interior or exterior. Tis Atman, the
perceiver of everything, is Brahman. Tis is the teaching.
(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 2.5.19)
z== t =rtt |=:t|-== -t-t =r-= i
== =t =-=-- =t|t=-= =- =rt-=t ii
Making each net (creation) diverse on this feld (of maya), God withdraws
it. And that God, the great Self, afer creating the rulers again as before,
presides over them all.
(Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 5.3)
= m==|==t |=:t =t=t t=---t i
--= |- =m =m|=r -== ii
A limb is not diferent from the body, nor is the body diferent from the
limb. Likewise, all this is, verily, Brahman, and Brahman is, verily, all this.
(Sri Ramakrishna Gita, 1.20)
July
Vol. , No.
Divine Transformation
No bleed here
PB July 2014 412
THIS MONTH
Sri Ramakrishnas Grand Unifcation is the
divine process of unifying the world, which is
at present reeling under all kinds of divisiveness
and fragmentation.
Sri Ramakrishna: Confluence of
Jnana and Bhakti, by Dr I S Madu-
gula, a retired English teacher and
author from Austin, Texas, explains how
the Master harmonizes in his life and
teachings the two most followed paths
towards the Supreme.
Asim Chaudhuri of Phoenix, Arizona, a re-
searcher and well-known author, presents in
Swami Vivekananda in Chicago: New Find-
ings his discovery of Swamijis familiar picture
published for the frst time as a line drawing in
the Chicago Tribune of 1893.
Sri Ramakrishna: Transform-
ing Lives, by Sibatosh Bagchi, is
a sketch of some characters who
were changed afer coming in
contact with Sri Ramakrishna.
Te author is a former principal
of the Greater Kolkata College
of Engineering and Manage-
ment, Kolkata.
Environmentalism is a seriously discussed issue
today. Ms Rajani Rao U, Research Scholar, De-
partment of Studies in Philosophy, Manasa-
gangotri, Mysore, presents Swami Vivekanandas
Concept of Nature.
Swamijis spiritual stature was not always prop-
erly understood by all of his disciples. Sudesh
Garg, a devotee from Ambala, Punjab, writes
about some of Tose Who Defected from
Swami Vivekananda.
In Swami Viveka-
nandas Hs For-
mula Dr Alpana
Ghose, former head
of the Department
of Chemistry, Ranchi
Womens College,
narrates a heart-warming incident of how
Swamijis ideas completely changed a girls life.
Tere is a growing need for the right type of
education. Rajeshri Trivedi, Lecturer at the De-
partment of Philosophy, Maharaja Sayajirao
University of Baroda, highlights some aspects
of a Comprehensive Education in the Light of
Swami Vivekananda.
Sri Ramakrishna worshipped the Divine Mother
in his consort Sri Sarada Devi. Brahmachari
Chandikachaitanya, of Ramakrishna Math, Luc-
know, brings out the Signifcance of Shodashi
Puja and its meaning for todays world.
In the twentieth part of Eternal Words Swami
Adbhutananda teaches us about some aspects
of dharma and the great importance of living
according to it. Te swamis words are trans-
lated from Sat Katha, published from Udbo-
dhan Of ce, Kolkata.
No bleed here
413 PB July 2014
EDITORIAL
Sri Ramakrishnas Grand Unifcation
ith the rise of the anatomically
modern humans 200,000 years ago
the world gradually started chang-
ing. And for the last 10,000 years we have been
modifying plants and animals to suit our human
purposes. Trough grafing, implanting, trans-
planting, cross-pollinating, crossbreeding, se-
lective breeding, and other techniques we have
speeded up processes that would normally take
aeons for nature to fulfl. Structurally, the human
brain has not changed much, though the mind
has. Te human mind has evolved from a primi-
tive social life to exploring the universe to con-
templating its own origins. Tere are many factors
that aided this expansion of consciousness, but
if we look at the basics, we fnd that it is due to
two powerful forces that have formed a loop, as
it were, with consciousness: knowledge and love.
As consciousness expands, so do knowledge and
love; and as knowledge and love expand, so does
consciousness. Humankind is thus redesigning
itself and the world through consciousness.
Te last few centuries have witnessed an ac-
celerated expansion of consciousness. Many old
institutions such as religion, democracy, social
structures, culture, and so on have not corres-
pondingly expanded in this mental space; that is
why there is so much resistance to it. But todays
human consciousness is irrepressibly overriding
stubborn obstacles. Te powers of knowledge
and love unify, giving room to the ideas of the
oneness and the inter connectedness of all life to
become current and central themes in many sci-
ences. Physicists are at present trying to unify all
the known forces into a Grand Unifed Teory,
and they may succeed one day because this is the
age of unifcation. On the individual level, just
as some old institutions and ideas display resist-
ance, most of us also have not been able to fully
assimilate into our consciousness the expanded
ideas of unselfshness, altruism, empathy, com-
passion, and concern. We still hold on to div-
isive ideas of education, wealth, race, culture,
language, and so forth. Humankind needs to
urgently educate and culture itself in order to
build a new type of civilization.
Sri Ramakrishnas advent in 1836 is a watershed
in the evolution of the modern mind. He was the
epitome of the highest knowledge and love that
consciousness can ever hold. Trough such a
mind, embodying the two powers of knowledge
and love, he accommodated all religions, sects,
paths, practices, and cultures. Where there was
divisiveness he showed their unity, even among
the three philosophies of Dvaita, Vishishta dvaita,
and Advaita, with their centuries-old disputa-
tions. His experiences were not confned to the
feld of religion alone, but spilled over into all as-
pects of our fragmented human life. Tus he was
the frst harmonizer and unifer of such appar-
ently disparate things as science and religion, re-
ligion and society, individual and collective life. In
the feld of metaphysics he showed the unifcation
of the absolute and the relative Reality, the per-
sonal and the impersonal God, Shiva and Shakti.
Sri Ramakrishna teaches that there are two
types of minds: those with the characteristics
of Shiva and those with the characteristics of
W
No bleed here No bleed here
PB July 2014 414
Prabuddha Bharata 14
Vishnu. He says: Jnana is the characteristic of
Shiva, and bhakti of Vishnu. One who partakes
of Shivas nature becomes a jnani, and one who
partakes of Vishnus nature becomes a bhakta.
Sri Ramakrishna himself was the embodiment
of Shiva and Vishnu. His mother Chandramani
Devi, while once standing and chatting in front
of a Shiva temple behind their house, saw divine
light emanating from the Shiva linga and flling
the small temple. Tat light fowed out in waves
and engulfed her. She fell down unconscious,
and when revived, she felt herself pregnant with
that light. While on a pilgrimage to Gaya, Sri
Ramakrishnas father had a wonderful vision of
Vishnu seated on a throne and beckoning him
thus: Kshudiram, I am very pleased with your
sincere devotion. I shall incarnate Myself as your
son and accept the loving service you ofer Me
in your cottage. Tus Shiva and Vishnu, whom
people consider as diferent, are in essence one,
as was proved in Sri Ramakrishnas incarnation.
And so was divine knowledge and love.
Sri Ramakrishna was also the embodiment of
Purusha and Prakriti. Mathur Babu once saw the
Master in a high state of consciousness pacing up
and down near his room at Dakshineswar and ap-
pearing alternately as Shiva and Kali. Mathur ran
up to him and falling prostrate declared: Father,
I was watching you just now as you walked back
and forth. I saw it distinctly: As you walked to-
wards me, you were no longer yourself. You were
the Divine Mother Kali from the temple! Ten, as
you turned around and walked in the opposite dir-
ection, you became Lord Shiva! At frst I thought
it was some kind of optical illusion. I rubbed my
eyes and looked again, but I saw the same thing.
As ofen as I looked I saw it! Tis is just one in-
stance in Sri Ramakrishnas life, but when we
study his unique life, we fnd the merging in him
of many gods, goddesses, and past avataras dur-
ing his ecstatic states. He embodied them all, like
he did with Shiva and Vishnu. Sincere sadhakas
and followers of diferent religions found their
object of adoration, their Chosen Ideal, dwelling
and refecting in him. Sri Ramakrishna criticized
no one, no path, no religious or worldly attitude,
but accommodated everyone and everything in
his vast consciousness.
As consciousness expands, humankind grows
in knowledge, love, and power. Tis evolution of
consciousness is hastening human growth and
is also leading us to higher dimensions of exist-
ence. In knowledge and love lies embedded the
essence of perfection, truth, and infnity. Tis is
intuitively felt by everyone, and this is the goal
that humankind is striving for. Tere is no sep-
arate ideal of perfection of knowledge and love
but only one. To know is to love, and to love is
to know. Tus in the ultimate unifcation, know-
ledge and love are one.
In every age an avatara comes not just to show
the way to perfection and clear obstacles from its
path but also to become the ideal representation
of perfection. Tis perfection is not physical but
mentalconsciousness expanding to its pristine
nature. Swami Vivekananda says: Conscious ef-
forts lead to superconscious illumination. Infnite
perfection is in every man though unmanifested.
In this age Sri Ramakrishna is that ideal of perfec-
tion. Swamiji also points out that Ramakrishna
has no peer; nowhere else in this world exists
that unprecedented perfection, that wonderful
kindness for all that does not stop to justify itself,
that intense sympathy for man in bondage. In Sri
Ramakrishna also, astoundingly, is humankind
embodied, for as Swamiji showed, he lived the life
of the whole human race from the earliest times
and traversed all the stages that future humanity
would take to reach perfection. Sri Ramakrishna
is thus the perfect Consciousness of the mind
that unifes humanity and divinity, absolute and
relative, collective and individual. P
No bleed here
415 PB July 2014
Sri Ramakrishna:
Confuence of Jnana and Bhakti
Dr I S Madugula
rom time to time great illumined ones,
who have the power to reveal the supernal
vision to us, come to this earth. Tough they
are ever free, they want to help others become
free. Sri Ramakrishna was one of those illumined
ones who, in spite of being easily approachable by
many, was beyond the grasp of common people.
Tis essay refers to the epoch-making sage Sri
Ramakrishna, who reafrmed the Truth spoken
of in the scriptures. Te context is the bhakti trad-
ition of Bengal during the nineteenth century.
A signifcant fact that is sometimes overlooked
by people who write or speak about Sri Rama-
krishna is that he was enlightened well before he
met his various gurus. Te many gurus merely
stoked the spiritual fre that had already been
lit in him. He identifed with none other than
the various gods and goddesses he worshipped
and realized that all were entwined in a single
thread. How else could he reach the unshakable
conclusion that all spiritual paths led to the same
goal? Let us not forget that several gurus came to
him and taught him, and in the process they got
instructed by him. He had already experienced
high states of consciousness even as a child.
The Confuence
Although Sri Ramakrishna was involved in difer-
ent types of sadhana, and although his religious
background was primarily bhakti, his central
message was Advaita, the non-dual Reality called
Brahman. It was this teaching of Advaita that he
passed on to the young Narendra nathSwami
Vivekanandas pre-monastic namethe frst
sceptic to question the methods and motives
of the Master. Sri Ramakrishnas utter guileless-
ness charmed the educated college student so
much that Narendranath threw himself at the
Masters feet in total surrender. Trough Sri
Ramakrishnas powerful touch Narendranath
experienced the state of samadhi and was thus
convinced of being in contact with a truly en-
lightened teacher. A new age of enlightenment
began when the Master admonished the acolyte
to share his insights of Advaita with the world in
order to raise its spiritual consciousness. He was
meant to do Gods work and not selfshly enjoy
Gods grace all by himself in samadhi.
Troughout his conversations, Sri Rama-
krishna was seen as a highly realized Advaitin
who simultaneously played the role of a bhakta.
Witness, for example, his explanation of how
both jnana and bhakti contribute to ones
ananda: Te joy of worship one enjoys while
chanting the name and glories of God. And the
Joy of Brahman is the joy of God-vision. Te
jnani experiences jada samadhi, in which no trace
of the I is lef. Te samadhi attained through
the path of bhakti is called chetana samadhi. In
this samadhi there remains the consciousness of
Ithe I of the servant-and-Master relation-
ship, of the lover-and-Beloved relationship, the
enjoyer-and-Food relationship.1
Ramana Maharshi, a modern Self-realized
saint of India, was about seven years old when
Sri Ramakrishna lef his mortal body. He spoke
F
PB July 2014 416
of Sri Ramakrishna with great regardit takes a
saint to recognize another saint. Te compilation
Talks with Ramana Maharshi 2 has multiple refer-
ences to Sri Ramakrishna. Referring to Sri Chai-
tanya and Sri Ramakrishna weeping before the
deity during their sadhana, the Maharshi explains:
Tere was a powerful force (akti) drawing them
on through those experiences. Trust in that
huge power to take you on to your
goal. These manifestations are
only passing signs of the great cur-
rent carrying them on (401). As for
the great reservoir of power and grace
that Sri Ramakrishna was, the Maha-
rshi says: Just like iron flings drawn towards
a magnet, the force is inside and not outside.
Ramakrishna was in Vivekananda. If you think
Vivekananda to be a body, Ramakrishna also is a
body. But they are not bodies. Vivekananda could
not go into Samadhi had not Ramakrishna been
within him (145). If Sri Ramakrishna felt that the
Kali image had come alive, the vital force was due
to himself. It was his own vital force which mani-
fested as if it were outside and drew him in.
Were the image full of life it must have been
found so by all (563). Tese and other refer-
ences indicate the high esteem in which Ra-
mana Maharshi held Sri Ramakrishna. He
did not fnd anything unusual or strange
about him, his talk or his actions. Ap-
pearances, especially those of realized
persons, are indeed deceiving.
Sri Ramakrishna started out as
a bhakta and did not rest until he
realized the Advaitic oneness of all
creation, which has Brahman as its sub-
stratum. Acharya Shankara succinctly
defned Advaita as: Brahmanthe ab-
solute existence, knowledge and bliss
is real. Te universe is not real. Brahman
and tman are one.3
S
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B
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/

B
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D
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V
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.
C
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M

417 PB July 2014
Sri Ramakrishna: Confuence of Jnana and Bhakti 17
Now let us check some of the instructions
Sri Ramakrishna gives to his disciples, who were
anxious to follow the path to enlightenment. Ex-
plaining his approach to the Reality, Sri Rama-
krishna says:
Te Primordial Power is ever at play. She is cre-
ating, preserving, and destroying in play, as it
were. Tis power is called Kali. Kali is verily
Brahman, and Brahman is verily Kali. It is one
and the same Reality. When we think of It as
inactive, that is to say, not engaged in the act of
creation, preservation, and destruction, then we
call It Brahman. But when It engages in these
activities, then we call It Kali or Shakti. Te
Reality is one and the same; the diference is in
name and form.4
In fact, Sri Ramakrishna attained supreme
Consciousness, Brahman, the very frst time he
had the vision of Kali. Still he retained the ego
of a bhakta, a separate self not quite merged with
the universal Self. He calls this state of his the
ego of Knowledge. Te Glossary of Te Gospel
of Sri Ramakrishna states:
Some souls, afer realizing their oneness with
Brahman in samadhi, come down to the plane
of relative consciousness. In this state they re-
tain a very faint feeling of ego so that they may
teach spiritual knowledge to others. Tis ego
called by Sri Ramakrishna the ego of know-
ledge, does not altogether eface their know-
ledge of oneness with Brahman even in the
relative state of consciousness. Te bhakta, the
lover of God, coming down to the relative plane
afer having attained samadhi, retains the I-
consciousness by which he feels himself to be
a lover, a child, or a servant of God. Sri Rama-
krishna called this the devotee ego, the child
ego, or the servant ego (1034).
Sri Ramakrishna tells us why he often
switches between bhakti and jnana: Te jnanis
think of God without form. Tey dont accept
the Divine Incarnation. I accept God with
form when I am in the company of people who
believe in the ideal, and I also agree with those
who believe in the formless God (128). Once
again, the implied afrmation here is that bhakti
and jnana are non-diferent and that the former
by itself is also a guaranteed path to the attain-
ment of the Self. As the bhakta merges in the
universal Self, which includes the personal God,
the bhaktas Chosen Deity ceases to be only a
personal God. Te vision of Rama, brought
about through the mediacy of the image of
Ramalala, helped Sri Ramakrishna realize that
Rama pervades the whole universe as Spirit and
Consciousness; that He is its Creator, Sustainer,
and Destroyer; that, in still another aspect, He
is the transcendental Brahman, without form,
attribute, or name (24).
It is not a contradiction that Sri Rama-
krishna preferred to remain as a bhakta though
he had attained the highest jnana very early in
his sadhana, because he felt that a mere jnani is
a monotonous person. He always analyses, say-
ing: It is not this, not this. Te world is like
a dream (479). Tis was his colourful way of
saying that bhakti is ofen a more attractive path
for us to seek self-realization and, in the pro-
cess, enjoy a servant-master relationship with our
Chosen Deity. In the end, of course, the two are
not in mutual opposition:
Tere is no diference between supreme Bhakti
and the supreme Jnana. Te supreme Bhakti
is to realise God as the form of Prema (love)
itself. If you see the loving form of God mani-
fest everywhere and in everything, how can you
hate or injure others? Tat realisation of love
can never come so long as there is the least de-
sire in the heart, or what Shri Ramakrishna used
to say, attachment for Kama-kanchana (sense-
pleasure and wealth). In the perfect realisation
of love, even the consciousness of ones own
body does not exist. Also, the supreme Jnana is
to realise the oneness everywhere, to see ones
own self as the Self in everything. Tat too can-
not come so long as there is the least conscious-
ness of the ego (Aham).5
Tis is how we fnd the importance of Sri
Ramakrishnas message of combining devotion
and knowledge.
Sri Ramakrishnas Love and Nature
A very benevolent outcome of Sri Ramakrishnas
bhakta personality is his immense love for his
disciples and concern for their well-being. He
was able to accommodate the followers of the
emergent Brahmo movement in his scheme of
spiritual thinking as part of Gods will, though
its Westernized followers were by and large this-
worldly. He never held their Western accul-
turation against them. Far from it, he fervently
hoped for and worked patiently towards showing
them the Truth as he experienced it personally, as
opposed to how they understood it intellectu-
ally. His love and concern for peoples well-being
extended far beyond the circle of his disciples:
people of every faith, followers of every convic-
tion, good doers and evildoers, the pure and the
promiscuousall were attracted by the simple
magnetism of Sri Ramakrishnas character and
his utter sincerity. He was indeed a messiah who
inwardly sufered for each and every one of them.
He just could not remain aloof, enjoying by him-
self his hard-earned proximity to Godneither
did he allow his dear Narendranath to do so.
A special knack of Sri Ramakrishna was that
he was able to explain complex philosophical
concepts in a simple straightforward way. For
example, maya could be a dif cult concept for
the uninitiated and could lead to endless ques-
tions. To Sri Ramakrishna, however, it is noth-
ing but the egotism of the embodied soul. Tis
egotism has covered everything like a veil. All
troubles come to an end when the ego dies. If by
the grace of God a man but once realizes that he
is not the doer, then he at once becomes a jivan-
mukta. Tough living in the body, he is liberated.
He has nothing else to fear. 6
My frst acquaintance with Sri Ramakrishna
was at the age of sixteen from a prescribed text
419 PB July 2014
Sri Ramakrishna: Confuence of Jnana and Bhakti 19
for the intermediate class. I was stunned to hear
the Masters answer to Vivekanandas question,
Sir, have you seen God? Te Master said, Yes,
I have seen God. I have seen him more tangibly
than I see you. I have talked to him more intim-
ately than I am talking to you. But, my child,
who wants to see God? People shed jugs of tears
for money, wife, and children. But if they would
weep for God for only one day they would surely
see him (57).
I kept asking myself: Are there any people
who have really seen God? Is it possible to see
God at all? What does he look like? Which of
the pictures that I have seen in books does he re-
semble? Swami Vivekananda, the original ques-
tioner, provides the answer: He is principle, not
person. You and I are all Personal Gods. Te ab-
solute God of the universe, the creator, preserver,
and destroyer of the universe, is impersonal prin-
ciple. You and I, the cat, rat, devil, and ghost, all
those are Its personsall are Personal Gods. You
want to worship Personal Gods. It is the worship
of your own self. 7
Tere is no better way to conclude this essay
than by quoting Vivekanandas fnal assessment
of his Master: He was the concentrated em-
bodiment of how many previous Avataras! Even
spending the whole life in religious austerity, we
could not understand it. Terefore one has to
speak about him with caution and restraint. As
are ones capacities, so he flls one with spiritual
ideas. One spray from the full ocean of his spir-
ituality, if realised, will make gods of men. Such
a synthesis of universal ideas you will not fnd in
the history of the world again (7.262).
In utter reverence he points out: Sri Rama-
krishna is not exactly what the ordinary followers
have comprehended him to be. He had infnite
moods and phases. Even if you might form an
idea of the limits of Brahmajnana, the know-
ledge of the Absolute, you could not have any
idea of the unfathomable depths of his mind!
Tousands of Vivekanandas may spring forth
through one gracious glance of his eyes! (6.479).
Te terms child and paramahamsa are ofen
used to refer to Sri Ramakrishna, who himself
afrms the kinship of the child and the parama-
hamsa: Te paramahamsa is like a fve-year-old
child. He sees everything flled with Conscious-
ness. He cannot distinguish between a stranger
and a relative. He isnt particular about worldly
relationships. He doesnt keep any track of his
whereabouts. He sees everything as Brahman.
He is indiferent to his own movements.8
Sri Ramakrishna was at once a child and a
sage, a devotee and a saint, a priest and a parama-
hamsa in whom the twin currents of bhakti
and jnana ran together, not to compete but to
complement each other. Te country boy from
Kamarpukur who relished listening to and tell-
ing riveting tales of the Puranic gods was God
himself. Te subject identifed itself with the ob-
ject, the immortal Logos, which is beyond all
grammatical classifcation. Sri Ramakrishna is
the recipient of our humble admiration and the
wellspring of our constant inspiration. P
References
1. M, Te Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, trans. Swami
Nikhilananda (Chennai: Ramakrishna Math,
2002), 478.
2. Talks with Ramana Maharshi (Tiruvannamalai:
Sri Ramanasramam, 2006).
3. See Acharya Shankara, Vivekachudamani, 20;
quoted in Swami Prabhavananda, Te Spiritual
Heritage of India (New Delhi: Genesis Publish-
ing, 2003), 283.
4. Gospel, 1345.
5. Te Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,
9 vols (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 18, 1989;
9, 1997), 5.3845.
6. Gospel, 1689.
7. Complete Works, 8.1334.
8. Gospel, 4901.
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PB July 2014
Swami Vivekananda in Chicago:
New Findings
Asim Chaudhuri
hat was the title of my book where
I chronicled Swamijis activities in Chicago.
Tere I wrote:
Swamiji lef Chicago for Madison, Minneapo-
lis and Des Moines on November 20. He lef
Des Moines on November 30, but was in Min-
neapolis again on December 14. Up until now
it was not known whether he had come back
to Chicago afer Des Moines and then gone
again to Minneapolis, or had spent those inter-
mediate fourteen days in other towns in the
corn country. But now we know he
visited the Peoples Church, and ad-
dressed Rev. Tomas congregation,
most likely on December 10. Te sub-
ject was Te Divinity of Man, and the
Unity reported the entire speech al-
most word for word on December 14.1
After one hundred and three
years I found the article in 1997 and
it has been reproduced in the book
(15964).

Since the Unity reported
it on 14 December 1893 and the
Chicago pastor Hiram Washington
Tomas introduced Swamiji before
the lecture, according to the Unity, I
assumed that the speech was delivered
on the Sunday before 14 December,
which was 10 December, when Dr
Tomass congregation usually met in
the church. But I was wrong; I missed
the announcement of that lecture
that appeared in the Chicago Tribune
of 26 November 1893. Since Swamiji
was then in Des Moines, Iowa, I did
not look at the Chicago newspapers.
Others have probably missed it too
for the same reason. Te announce-
ment is shown on the lef.
T
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421 PB July 2014
Tat means the lecture was delivered on
Monday, 4 December at the Central Music
Hall, and since there was an admission charge,
it could not have been a lecture from a church
pulpit. For delivering sermons, various pastors
had used the Central Music Hall, but this time
the lecture was most probably sponsored by the
Slayton Lyceum Bureau that he was in contract
with at that time. Te Bureau had their ofce
in the same building and managed the lecture
appearances at the auditorium of the Central
Music Hall (166).

Te announcement also indi-
cates that Swamiji came back to Chicago from
Des Moines for that lecture.
Before or during the Parliament Swamijis
images appeared in the Chicago newspapers as
caricature-like line drawings. Te signifcant
thing about Swamijis image in this lecture an-
nouncement is that it was probably the frst
time his image had appeared in the US, in a
Chicago newspaper, as the reproduction of one
of his 1893 Chicago photographs, most prob-
ably of the one above. P
Reference
1. Asim Chaudhuri, Swami Vivekananda in Chi-
cago: New Findings (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama,
2000), 1589.
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PB July 2014 422
Sri Ramakrishna: Transforming Lives
Sibatosh Bagchi
S
ri Ramakrishna described himself as
the Karmanasha River and as the Farash-
danga, French colony.1 Te Karmanasha,
which literally means destroyer of karma, is a
river crossing through the Indian states of Uttar
Pradesh and Bihar. Just as one bathes in the
Ganga to wash away ones sins, so also Sri Rama-
krishna compared himself to the Karmanasha
River, which puts an end to all karmas when one
takes a dip into it. Chandernagorenow known
as Chandannagaris a part of the Hooghly dis-
trict of West Bengal that was once under French
rule. In Bengali it was called Farashdanga, French
colony. Any individual committing a crime in the
then Bengal Presidency, which was under British
rule, could slip into this French colony to escape
arrest and consequent punishment.
Avatara: A Source of Power
Sri Ramakrishna gives a very lucid example re-
garding the spiritual strength of an avatara or of
great rishis like Narada: A hollow piece of drif-
wood somehow manages to foat; but it sinks
if even a bird sits on it. But Narada and sages
of his kind are like a huge log that not only can
foat across to the other shore but can carry many
animals and other creatures as well. A steamship
itself crosses the ocean and also carries people
across.2 An avatara has to take care of the spir-
itual demands of millions of people. In another
context Swami Ramakrishnananda, a direct dis-
ciple of Sri Ramakrishna, says:
Te Master was able to supply to every man just
what he needed. Sometimes a man would come
from a distant place with his heart panting for
God, but seeing the room full of people, he
would shrink back and hide himself in a dim
corner. Without a word, Sri Ramakrishna
would walk to him and touch him, and in a
moment he was illumined.
By that touch, Sri Ramakrishna really swal-
lowed ninety-nine percent of the mans karma.
Taking others karma was the reason he had his
last long illness. He used to tell us: Te people
whose karma I have taken think that they are
attaining salvation through their own strength.
Tey do not understand that it is because I have
taken their karma on me.3
Tere are many other similar instances that
exemplify Sri Ramakrishnas spiritual power and
knowledge. Swami Vivekananda narrated one
incident that proves Sri Ramakrishna as the em-
bodiment of infnite knowledge:
When I began lecturing in Chicago and other
cities, I had to deliver every week some twelve
or fifteen lectures at times. This excessive
strain on the body and mind would exhaust
me to a degree. I seemed to run short of sub-
jects for lectures and was anxious where to
fnd new topics for the morrows lectures. New
thoughts seemed altogether scarce. One day,
afer the lecture, I lay thinking of what means
to adopt next. Te thought induced a sort of
slumber, and in that state I heard as if some-
body standing by me was lecturingmany
new ideas and new veins of thought, which
I had scarcely heard or thought of in my life.
On awaking I remembered them and repro-
duced them in my lecture. I cannot enumer-
ate how ofen this phenomenon took place.
Many, many days did I hear such lectures while
lying in bed. Sometimes the lecture would be
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PB July 2014
Sri Ramakrishna: Transforming Lives 23
delivered in such a loud voice that the inmates
of adjacent rooms would hear the sound and
ask me the next day, With whom, Swamiji,
were you talking so loudly last night? I used
to avoid the question somehow. Ah, it was a
wonderful phenomenon.4
Sri Ramakrishna still helps his sincere de-
votees at the time of crisis. Swami Yatishwara-
nanda, a venerable monk of the Ramakrishna
Order, narrates:
In 1933 I was sent to Weisbaden [Germany] for
some specifc work. On the journey I was the
only passenger in the second-class berth of the
shipfeeling quite nervous. Suddenly I felt
some divine presence around me
that was about to engulf me from
all sides. Te presence was quite
palpable by my body and mind
in the midst of this ambience was
Sri Ramakrishnas voice. He was
pointing his fnger towards him-
self and said: Dont be nervous.
Tis time (in this incarnation),
infnite power is being manifested
through this body. Tis (I) will
protect you. Afer this incident I
could feel his divine presence al-
ways within me.5
Sri Ramakrishnas infnite spir-
itual dimensions were revealed
to diferent devotees in diferent
forms. If we recall some of these
incidents, we fnd that he would
fulfl the wishes of the concerned
devotee to manifest himself as the
devotees Ishta Devata, Chosen
Ideal, to satisfy his or her spiritual
urge and also to bring peace to the
minds of many devotees.
Sri Ramakrishna revealed him-
self as Shiva and Kali to Mathur
Babu, who afer this vision totally
surrendered at his lotus feet. Swami Abheda-
nanda had a vision of all the incarnations and
acharyas merging into the body of Sri Rama-
krishna. To Aghormani Devi, Gopaler Ma, Sri
Ramakrishna was verily Gopala, the child Sri
Krishna. He came as Sri Gauranga to his guru
Bhairavi Brahmani. Swami Turiyananda saw
Sri Ramakrishna inside the Jagannatha Temple
at Puri. One day the devotee Nis tarini Ghosh
found her Ishta Devata, Sri Krishna, in Sri
Ramakrishna when he went into deep samadhi
in her house at Ramakrishnapur, Howrah.
Many are such examples in the lives of devotees
and disciples.
Nistarini Ghosh
PB July 2014 424
Transforming Lives
Sri Ramakrishna has given solace and support
to millions of people, as a senior monk of the
Order says:
Popular biographical accounts of Sri Rama-
krishnas life may give the impression that he
lived a happy life giving talks, singing and dan-
cing. But the tremendous concern he had for
the welfare of other people, his eagerness to
help sufering people, and the difculties he
had to endure for this are seldom noticed. From
early in the morning till late in the night Sri
Ramakrishna spent most of his time advising,
guiding, inspiring, awakening the people who
thronged to him. Anybody could walk into his
room at any time of the day or night. And no-
body who went to him never returned without
receiving something life-transforming, awaken-
ing or strengthening from him. In the process
of redeeming sinners and Bohemians, he had
to undergo vicarious sufering. It was to im-
mortalize Sri Ramakrishnas self-sacrifce for the
welfare of sufering humanity that Swamiji gave
him the epithet prarpaa, One who gave his
life for others.6
Innumerable people visited Sri Ramakrishna
at Dakshineswar; some of them met him only a
couple of times, but that was enough to dramati-
cally change their lives. I would like to point out
to six individuals from the many.
Girishchandra Ghosh is the most striking ex-
ample of Sri Ramakrishnas divine grace. Girishs
gradual transformation of mind was also due
to his total and unconditional surrender to Sri
Ramakrishna. He possessed unfinching devo-
tion to his guru. Once Girish was brooding with
a broken heart over his own misdeeds when the
master in a semi-conscious mood spoke out
Girish Ghosh, dont worry about it; people will
be astonished at the marvellous change that will
come over you.7 In every avataras lila there is a
character who attains a marked mental elevation
through the infnite love and compassion of
the guru and, in turn, this character becomes
an example to millions of other people. In the
Sri Ramakrishna incarnation it was Girish who
played this crucial role. It was he who triggered
the Kalpataru phenomenon on 1 January 1886,
when Sri Ramakrishna blessed all the assembled
devotees with his profound words: I bless you
all. Be illumined! (405). Girish attained a high
spiritual state of mind towards the end of his life.
A less known character in the Ramakrishna
movement was Bhavatarini Mukhopadhyay,
the wife of Upendranath Mukhopadhyay. Her
name Bhavatarini was given by Sri Ramakrishna
himself. She was related to the Holy Mother Sri
Sarada Devi. It is known from her autobiog-
raphy8 that she came in close contact with Sri
Ramakrishna and the Holy Mother during her
childhood and adolescence. Her marriage with
Upendranath was proposed by none other than
Sri Ramakrishna. However, at a very young age
she lost her husband in 1919 and also her only son
afer a few years. Tese incidents compelled her to
relocate to Varanasi, where she lived for the rest
of her life. With Sri Ramakrishna in the corner
of her heart, she lived a very austere and intense
spiritual life up to the age of nearly one hundred
years. She used to remain in very exalted states
during those days and used to have innumerable
visions of Sri Ramakrishna and the Holy Mother.
Vijay Krishna Goswami, doyen of the
Brahmo movement of Bengal, frequented Sri
Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar in search of God,
as the conventional Brahmo ideas of that time
could not satisfy him. He had deep respect for
Sri Ramakrishna, as could be seen from this com-
ment: It is difcult to understand him (mean-
ing the Master) unless he reveals himself. Here
alone is the one hundred percent manifestation
of God. I have now realized who you are. You
dont have to tell me. 9 Sri Ramakrishna was very
PB July 2014
Sri Ramakrishna: Transforming Lives 25
happy with Vijays comprehensive knowledge
about him and in the process revealed himself to
Vijay. Due to this super human infuence Vijay
had a miraculous and complete transformation
in his spiritual life. He gave up his connection
with the Brahmo around 18867 and started a
further inner journey towards spirituality.
Rasik Hari, a sweeper at the Dakshineswar
Temple, had the unconditional grace of the Mas-
ter, who was an oasis in the blazing mental des-
ert of Rasik. A low-caste pariah, Rasik would
always hesitate to prostrate before the Master
lest the then rigid caste system of Bengal could
object. He was not allowed to enter the tem-
ple or touch the feet of other priests. Tough
Sri Ramakrishna knew all these restrictions, he
used to talk to Rasik very freely. But Rasik was
disturbed at heart for not being able to touch
Sri Ramakrishnas feet, in spite of his high re-
gard. One day Rasik was desperate and fell at
Sri Ramakrishnas feet while the latter was com-
ing back from the pine grove. Rasik grabbed his
feet and said: Takur, what will happen to me?
Tis sincere surrender of a devotee was accepted
by the Master, who went into samadhi. Afer he
returned to the normal state, he touched Rasiks
head and said: You will see me at the time of
death. Rasik survived another two years afer
the Masters demise. While dying, Rasiks face
beamed with joy and cried out: Father, you have
come! You have not forgotten me. It was a divine
scene showing that the Master never failed his
true devotees.10
Te story of Manmatha is equally enchant-
ing. Sri Ramakrishnas grace fell on him in a most
unusual way. Manmatha, a famous gymnast and
wrestler of Baghbazar, was hired by Hira lal,
Yogin-mas brother, to frighten away Sri Rama-
krishna when he came to Yogin-mas house. Hira-
lal did not like his sisters frequent visits to the
Master at Dakshineswar. Manmatha was there
at the scene when Sri Ramakrishna arrived and
heard a few words of the Master. He was so cap-
tivated by those words that he fell at the Masters
feet and wanted the Master to forgive him for
his nefarious intention. Te Master asked him
to come to Dakshineswar one day. On the frst
visit Sri Ramakrishna accompanied him to the
Picture by an unknown
artist depicting Rasik Hari
surrendering himself to
Sri Ramakrishnas feet
PB July 2014 426
Kali temple and there blessed him. Te next time
also Manmatha received some advice from the
Master. But he never disclosed anything about
the grace he received. Within a couple of years
Manmatha had a miraculous transformation and
became a totally diferent man. He always used
to utter with folded hands, Priyanath, Priyanath
(O my beloved Lord). He came to the Barana-
gore Monastery in 1890 when Swami Viveka-
nanda and other swamis were there. His great
transformation by the divine touch of Sri Rama-
krishna surprised all the swamis.11
Te last example would be of a gentleman
from Jabalpur, a postgraduate who came to
meet Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar. His
name could not be ascertained from any source.
He was an out and out non-believer but also
a very simple man. Sri Ramakrishna cordially
embraced him and requested him to accept a
seat in his room. He said: Sir, I dont believe in
anything, no God, nothing. Te Master said:
Well, if I request you to make one prayer by
saying that if there is any reality behind this
universe, let that illuminate my mind, will you
agree to it? Do you have any objection to this
sort of prayer? Te man from Jabalpur agreed
happily to this proposal. After a couple of
months he came to Dakshineswar and fell at
the feet of Sri Ramakrishna: Master, you have
saved me. I got the answer to my prayer and am
totally fulflled.12
In the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna we fnd the
Master praying to the Divine Mother for the
welfare of all devotees: Mother, may those who
come to You have all their desires fulflled! But
please dont make them give up everything at
once, Mother. Well, You may do whatever You
like in the end. If You keep them in the world,
Mother, then please reveal Yourself to them now
and then. Otherwise, how will they live? How
will they be encouraged if they dont see You
once in a while? But You may do whatever You
like in the end.13
If we pray to Sri Ramakrishna, we too will be
transformed. Once, afer singing songs on Sri
Chaitanya, Swami Vivekananda soliloquized: He
is actually distributing love. Love, devotion, know-
ledge, liberation, and whatever one desiresGora
[Sri Ramakrishna] is bestowing upon us whatever
he wishes. What wonderful power! 14 P
References
1. See Dr Biswanath Chakraborty, Swami
Shankarananda, ed. Swami Sarvadevananda
(Kolkata: Udbodhan Ofce, 2013), 176.
Nikhilananda (Chennai: Ramakrishna Math,
2002), 479.
3. Ramakrishna as We Saw Him, ed. Swami
Chetanananda (Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama,
2008), 157.
9, 1997), 7.124.
5. Pravrajika Saradaprana, Swami Yatiswara-
nander Punyasmriti (Kol kata: Sri Sarada
Math, Dakshineswar, 2000), 55. Translation
by the author.
6. Swami Bhajanananda, Te Light of the Modern
World (Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 2012), 723.
7. Te Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna (Calcutta:
Advaita Ashrama, 1955), 401.
8. See Basumati Ma Sri Bhabatarini Devir Atma-
katha, comp. Ahi Bhusan Basu, 2 vols (Calcutta:
Sarada-Ramakrishna-Milana Mandir, 1, 1994;
2, 2000), 1.3.
9. Gospel, 881.
10. See Sri Dhirendranath Bhaumik, Sri
Gaurangadever Adhyayan o Adhyapakagan,
Udbodhan, 53/6, (Ashad 1358 bs), 295300.
11. See Ramakrishna as We Saw Him, 156.
12. See Swami Turiyanander Smritikatha, comp. and
ed. Swami Chetanananda (Kolkata: Udbodhan
Ofce, 2006), 155. Translation by the author.
13. Gospel, 381.
14. Swami Saradananada, Sri Ramakrishna and His
Divine Play, trans. Swami Chetanananda (St
Louis: Vedanta Society of St Louis, 2003), 803.
427 PB July 2014
Swami Vivekanandas Concept of Nature
Ms Rajani Rao U
S
wami Vivekanandas Vedantic teach-
ings not only highlight the status of human
beings regarding the goal of life but also
give guidelines for attaining that goal. Swamijis
profound insights bring the high philosophy of
Vedanta down to the common people. He dis-
cusses many philosophical and spiritual issues in
extenso, while addressing other points in a gen-
eral way. Tere were not many environmental
problems during his time; therefore, he did not
deal with them in detail. However, understand-
ing his views on nature can help us frame an idea
about Environmentalism based on traditional
Vedantic concepts as interpreted by Swamiji.
Concept of Nature
Te word nature has many meanings; it comes
from the Latin natura, which means course
of things; natural character, constitution, qual-
ity; the universe, literally birth, from natus
born.1 In Indian philosophy nature is called
Prakriti. Understanding the importance of na-
ture in the scheme of things is essential, as
human beings are also participants in the nat-
ural processes. We are made of the same stuf
that makes the external world and our bodies
and minds are part of nature. Tus our behav-
iour and actions afect nature and in turn nature
afects our behaviour and actions. Natures efect
on us is very powerful; it can mould civilizations
and cultures. Human societies learn to adjust to
natural surroundings and, once settled, slowly
start dominating the surroundings.
Nature is also defined as vital force or
functions or needs. It is also referred to as the
power that produces the phenomena of the ma-
terial world. We see that everything in nature
is interrelated; nothing in nature is independ-
ent. Tere is a constant change of one form or
force into another. We cannot hurt one thing
without serious consequences. Everything in
the universe is interconnected.
Swami Vivekananda used the term nature in
three diferent senses, to mean (i) external phys-
ical nature or environment, (ii) propensities in
human beings, and (iii) the soul or Atman of an
individual. According to Swamiji, the whole of
the phenomena, external and internal, is nature
and is one. Te internal nature is known as the
forces inherent in the human being producing
sensations, perceptions, and concepts, while the
external nature is known as the forces related to
the phenomena seen around us. Explaining fur-
ther Swamiji states that the constitution of the
body and the mind of a human being, as well
as of the whole world, are based upon the three
forces of nature called gunassattva, rajas, and
tamas, which stand for balance, activity, and in-
ertness respectively. Tese forces or gunas are in
a constant state of fux. Depending on the pre-
dominance of any one of the gunas our mind
refects that force. In his words: Te very fact
that the external force can somehow evoke the in-
ternal force shows that somewhere they join each
otherthey must be continuous and, therefore,
basically the same force.

Tought force becomes
nerve force, muscular force; muscular and nerv-
ous force becomes thought force.2
Swamiji explains both the internal and the
external natures thus:
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PB July 2014 428
According to the philosophers of India, the
whole universe is composed of two materials,
one of which they call Akasha. It is the omni-
present, all-penetrating existence. Everything
that has form, everything that is the result of
combination, is evolved out of this Akasha.
It is the Akasha that becomes the air, that be-
comes the liquids, that becomes the solids; it
is the Akasha that becomes the sun, the earth,
the moon, the stars, the comets; it is the Aka-
sha that becomes the human body, the animal
body, the plants, every form that we see, every-
thing that can be sensed, everything that exists.
It cannot be perceived; it is so subtle that it is
beyond all ordinary perception; it can only be
seen when it has become gross, has taken form.
At the beginning of creation there is only this
Akasha. At the end of the cycle the solids, the
liquids, and the gases all melt into the Akasha
again, and the next creation similarly proceeds
out of this Akasha.
By what is this Akasha manufactured into
this universe? By the power of Prana. Just as
Akasha is the infnite, omnipresent material of
this universe, so is this Prana the infnite, omni-
present manifesting power of this universe. It
is the Prana that is manifesting as motion; it is
the Prana that is manifesting as gravitation, as
magnetism. It is the Prana that is manifesting as
the actions of the body, as the nerve currents, as
thought force. From thought down to the low-
est force, everything is but the manifestation
of Prana. Te sum total of all forces in the uni-
verse, mental or physical, when resolved back
to their original state, is called Prana (1.1478).
Humans and Nature
A human being is self-centered and prone to ex-
ploiting nature. We fail to recognize that nature
is not dead matter, that it is throbbing with life.
Life can be found everywherefrom the deep-
est oceans to the atmosphere. Can glorifying this
living aspect of nature help us create a deeper and
higher bond with it? We seem to have lost our
relationship with nature and consequently are
disconnecting ourselves from it. One fnds the
concept of nature as a living force in almost all
the tribal and folk traditions of the world. Na-
ture has been venerated by these people as they
have discovered a deep kinship between them,
their society, and the world around. Today we
are distancing ourselves from nature and are thus
losing our emotional and spiritual bonds with it.
Almost all environmental issues can be solved if
we reconnect with nature.
Tere is another higher aspect of the human
nature that Swamiji points out: Te whole his-
tory of humanity is a continuous fght against
the so-called laws of nature, and man gains in
the end (2.104). If we continuously obey all the
laws of nature, we will become like a wall or a
cow, which do not go against the rigorous laws
of nature and so they do not evolve. We struggle
against nature and this makes us evolve faster.
Swamiji states that the external nature is ma-
jestic, with inestimable powers, but he further
elaborates that there is an even more marvellous
nature, the internal one, which we are generally
unaware of. We cannot always fght against the
external laws of nature, but we can do so with the
internal laws that govern the mind.
Struggling against the laws of nature does
not mean desiccating nature but understanding
the subtle laws that govern the mind in order to
transcend them. According to Swamiji, we have
to frst scrutinize the data within us to be able
to understand our minds. Relatively, it is much
easier to examine the facts in the external world,
with the help of various instruments developed
by us, than to examine our minds, as there are
no instruments to assist us in understanding our
minds. Te way to understand and observe our
minds, according to Swamiji, is by the practice of
yoga: Te science of Raja-Yoga, in the frst place,
proposes to give us such a means of observing the
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429 PB July 2014
Swami Vivekanandas Concept of Nature 29
internal states. Te instrument is the mind itself.
Te power of attention, when properly guided,
and directed towards the internal world, will
analyse the mind, and illumine facts for us.
Tis is our only means of knowledge. Everyone
is using it, both in the external and the internal
world (1.129).
As we struggle against the internal laws gov-
erning the mind, we rise higher. We then come
to the understanding that we have still a higher
nature, the Atman. We are to identify with our
real internal nature, the Atman, which is ul-
timately one with Brahman, the all-pervading
Reality, the ground of all phenomena. All our
struggles are towards realizing our real nature
as the Atman-Brahman, which is imperishable
and immortal.
In Swamijis words: Te whole of nature is
for the soul, not the soul for nature. Te very
reason of natures existence is for the education
of the soul; it has no other meaning; it is there
because the soul must have knowledge, and
through knowledge free itself. If we remember
this always, we shall never be attached to nature;
we shall know that nature is a book in which
we are to read, and that when we have gained
the required knowledge, the book is of no more
value to us (1.57). If this book of nature lies tat-
tered and torn, the outcome of environmental
degradation, how can we be ever enriched and
fnally get liberated?
Conclusion
Te central idea of Vedanta is onenessone ex-
istence, one life, one world. Swamiji states: All
is One, which manifests Itself, either as thought,
or life, or soul, or body, and the diference is only
in degree (2.299). Te only and real solution for
the global environmental degradation being ex-
perienced by us now is the realization of the one-
ness of all creation.
Tere are no such realities as a physical world, a
mental world, a spiritual world. Whatever is, is
one. Let us say, it is a sort of tapering existence;
the thickest part is here, it tapers and becomes
fner and fner. Te fnest is what we call spirit;
the grossest, the body. And just as it is here in
microcosm, it is exactly the same in the macro-
cosm. Te universe of ours is exactly like that;
it is the gross external thickness, and it tapers
into something fner and fner until it becomes
God (2.16).
Even an intellectual understanding of this
principle helps produce concrete answers to en-
vironmental problems. Terefore, it is clear that
the crisis is not external but internal. Swamiji
puts it succinctly: Te more we think of our-
selves as separate from the Whole, the more mis-
erable we become (2.334).
Swamiji says that a human being encapsulates
three levels: physical, mental, and spiritual. Te
moment we look at ourselves from a single per-
spective, without considering the other two, we
can no longer understand the human being in its
totality, nor can we understand the universe. Tus
Swamijis concept of nature has three dimensions:
the innermost nature, the Atman; the inner na-
ture, the mind; and the external nature, the phys-
ical world. If we realize our innermost nature, we
then realize that there is no diference between
the external and the internal natures. Te way
to access our inner nature is, as Swamiji advises,
to practise yoga in any of its four expressions
karma, bhakti, jnana, and rajaaccording to our
natural tendencies, and fnally reach the goal. P
References
1. Online Etymology Dictionary, available
at <http://www.etymonl ine.com/index
.php?term=nature> accessed 15 May 2014.
9, 1997), 8.246.
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PB July 2014 430
Those Who Defected from
Swami Vivekananda
Sudesh Garg
I
n 1893, at the Parliament of Religions
in Chicago, an unknown, unheralded, pen-
niless monk from India walked amidst an
august assembly comprising the best minds of
the West. And when he spoke, the force and
fre of his eloquence and the grandeur of his
spiritual message fashed out at every turn. Te
truths he spoke were not found in their books.
Tey were startled and enraptured at what they
had heard and their conventional ideas and
ideals underwent a transformation. Tis monk
was Swami Vivekananda.
Is it to be wondered that hundreds were cap-
tivated by the lofiness of his ideas? Before leav-
ing the West he had the satisfaction of having
many earnest disciples and supporters who gave
up all the comforts and luxuries of the West
and dedicated themselves to the furtherance of
Swamijis dream and missionthe rejuvenation
of his motherland and the world. It is to J J
Goodwin whom we owe the record of much of
Swamijis thoughts and teachings, to the Seviers
whom we owe the Advaita Ashrama at Maya-
vati, and it is because of Sister Nivedita that we
have an institution for the education of girls.
Tere were many others who by being in contact
with Swami Vivekanandas elevating teachings,
magnetism, and purity of character developed
a lifelong reverent friendship and genuine ad-
miration for him and his ideals. Many of them
visited the land of their prophet and supported
any project Swamiji desired to undertake. On
the other hand, there were others who, in spite
of having come in the orbit of Swamijis divine
radiance, fnally defected from him. Among
them there were both Indians and non-Indians;
the present article focuses only on those non-
Indians who frst became followers of Swamiji
but later deserted him.
Tere was a period of some two years, be-
tween the end of 1897 and the end of 1899, dur-
ing which defections and betrayals came upon
him one afer another. Among those who de-
fected were Leon Landsberg, Marie Louise, and
Dr Street, who were ordained into sannyasa by
Swamiji. Besides these, there were Henrietta
Mller, Mrs Ashton Jonson, and Mr Edward T
Sturdy. Who can guess why they changed their
minds?
Leon Landsberg
Before been taken into Swamijis circle with the
vows of poverty and chastity and the name of
Swami Kripananda, Leon Landsberg was a news-
paper man employed on the staf of one of the
most prominent New York papers. By birth he
was a Russian Jew.
In the last days of January 1895 Swamiji and
Leon Landsberg lived together at 54 West 33rd
Street, New York. It was a poor and unfashion-
able area, but Swamiji was tired with excessive
lecturing and travelling. He had broken with
the lecture bureau, abandoned the sumptu-
ous meals and dinner invitations of persons of
wealth, and was living on bean soup and barley
rice by choice, cooked in his poor quarters. He
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431 PB July 2014
Tose Who Defected fom Swami Vivekananda 31
wanted to teach and give intensive training to
earnest-minded people. Swamiji wrote to Mrs
Hale: Between Mr Landsberg [later Swami
Kripananda] and me, we cook some rice and
lentils or barley and quietly eat it, and write
something or read or receive visits from poor
people who want to learn something, and thus
I feel I am more a sannyasin now than I ever was
in America.1 When Swamiji arrived in New
York on 6 December 1895, from England, to-
gether with Swami Kripa nanda he made his
headquarters at 228 West 39th Street, where
the latter had been living and holding classes
during the previous month. The two spa-
cious rooms they now occupied were used for
Swamijis regular scriptural classes.
During Swamijis absence from America
Swami Kripananda tried to keep up the message
of Vedanta by spreading interest in this divine
philosophy. His letter of 18 January 1896, pub-
lished in the Brahmavadin, gives an account of
its progress:
While our beloved Swami Vivekananda was
away in England disseminating his sublime
teaching with well-deserved success, the seed
of truth sown in America did not die away.
His followers continued his work eagerly,
holding regular well-attended meetings, in
which they endeavoured to enlighten each
other on the difcult questions of Vedanta
philosophy, urged one another to make the
moral lessons it inculcates a living reality in
their daily lives, and, by expanding the circle
of its followers (2.57).
He carried Swamijis message to other cities
and succeeded in forming new centres for the
propagation of the doctrine of love for God and
universal brotherhood.
Swami Kripanandas letter of 12 January 1896
reveals how Swamiji had to cope with antagonis-
tic forces in the US:
At the time the American mind was coated
with thick layers of superstition and bigotry.
Tere is no theory so absurd, no doctrine so
irrational, no claim so extravagant, no fraud so
transparent, but can fnd their numerous be-
lievers and a ready market. In this bedlam
of religious cranks, in this devils kitchen of
fraud, imposture, and knavery, the Swami ap-
peared to teach the lofy religion of the Vedas,
the profound philosophy of the Vedanta, the
sublime wisdom of the ancient Rishis. A
task sufcient to discourage the bravest heart,
to dispirit the most powerful will. But the
Swami was not the man to be deterred by dif-
fculties. Poor and friendless, with no other
support than God and his love for mankind,
he set patiently to work, determined not to
give up until the message he had to deliver
would reach the hearts of truth-seeking men
and women. And all those untrue and er-
ratic existences hid themselves, like bats at the
approach of daylight, in their haunts before
this apostle of Truth (2.624).
In a letter dated 19 February 1896 Swami
Kripa nanda wrote:
Te strong current of religious thought sent
out in his lectures and writings, the powerful
impetus given by his teachings to the pursuit
of truth without regard to inherited supersti-
tions and prejudices, though working silently
and unconsciously, is exercising a benefcial
and lasting efect on the popular mind and so
becoming an important factor in the spiritual
uplifing of society. People are quick to ap-
preciate the grandeur and beauty of a system
which, equally as a philosophy and a religion,
appeals to the heart as well as to the reason,
and satisfes all the religious cravings of human
(2.678).
It seems incredible that Swami Kripananda,
who wrote these letters and lived in the constant
atmosphere of Swamijis spiritual austerity and
divine radiance, quietly deserted him.
PB July 2014
Marie Louise
Marie Louise, a Frenchwoman, was a naturalized
US citizen who resided in New York. She was
known in liberal circles as a materialist, social-
ist, and a prominent member of the Manhattan
Liberal Club. She was also known in the media
and on the platform as Mme Marie Louise, a
fearless, progressive, advanced woman, who was
always in the forefront of the battle and ahead
of her times.
Marie Louise was admitted into the spirit-
ual Order by Swami Vivekananda at Tousand
Island Park with the name of Swami Abhaya-
nanda. With her characteristic zeal, she spread
in diferent parts of the United States the light
she had received and even founded an Advaita
Society in Chicago. She arrived in India on 24
February 1899 to pay respect to the memory of
her gurus guru, Sri Ramakrishna, and attend his
birth anniversary celebrations. As it was due on
19 March she frst visited Bombay and Madras
and lectured there on Vedanta philosophy, as
advised by Swamiji. Te people of Bombay and
Madras accorded her a ftting welcome. Te
Mahratta of Pune wrote about her on 5 March:
One of his [Swami Vivekanandas] disciples,
drawn to India by the coming anniversary fes-
tival of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa at Calcutta,
is an American lady journalist bearing the garb
and name of a Hindu sannyasi, Swami Abhaya-
nanda. She is no longer a theoretical convert
but an actual sannyasi. Swami Abhayananda
is no insignifcant woman, nor has she embraced
Hinduism without carefully studying the Vedas
and the Upanishads (2.445).
She reached Calcutta on 7 March evening
and was given a grand reception by the Rama-
krishna Mission at Balaram Babus house. She
took part in the birth anniversary celebrations
of Sri Ramakrishna, held for the frst time at
Belur Math, and gave an address. At the invita-
tion of the Ramakrishna Mission, Dacca, she
lef with Swami Virajananda for Dacca on 5
April and stayed there for two weeks. More
than once she appeared in public to join the
Hari sankirtan with a bag of tulsi beads in hand,
a garland of Rudraksha round her neck, and ut-
tering haribol.
Afer she returned to Calcutta, the change in
her attitude towards Swamiji and the Order was
clearly visible from the letters Sister Nivedita
wrote to Miss Macleod:
March 30: She [Swami Abhayananda] did
not care to listen to all he [the Swami] said
but went of with a book, fretted because she
could not get away, and so on, and inveighed
Marie Louise
433 PB July 2014
against eating on the foor and with fngers in
his presence.
She does not really love Swami I think, and
she says my love is very foolish and emotional.
Such greatness, such sweetness, such humil-
ity, as I see in him [the Swami] towards her, I
could not have imagined.
Abhayananda has been grumbling that all
the monks are my slaves!
April 5: She is so rude, raving about the dirti-
ness and inconvenience of Hindu homes in the
presence of her host and hostess, and abusing
the monks for their inattention to her.
May 8: Abhayananda, who came back from
Dacca, sore about money and Kalikrishnas con-
duct, and not scrupling to say dreadful things
of Swamiji.
May 9: She says people brought her money
in Dacca and Kalikrishna [her host] ab-
sorbed it all, and that she was simply being
run by Swami and Co. for their own beneft
(2.4467).
In the beginning of June she lef for the US.
Another reason for Swami Abhayanandas de-
fection seems to be her desire for money, as we
learn from Swamijis letter of 6 June 1902 to Mrs
Bull: Marie Louise [Abhayananda] is here, as a
follower of Chaitanya. Some rich men, I hear,
have taken her up. She wanted money. May
the Lord give her a lot! 3

How could she have
remained a Vedantist and a follower of Swamiji,
who upheld renunciation of all earthly vanities
as the highest ideal?
Dr Street
Swamiji gave the vows of sannyasa to a Dr Street,
naming him Swami Yogananda. Kripananda
wrote in the Brahmavadin in 1896 that the im-
pressive ceremony was performed in the presence
of the other sannyasi [evidently Abhayananda
had come from Brooklyn] and Brahmachari dis-
ciples (2.69). Who these brahmacharins were
we do not know. One remembers, however, that
Swamiji had given the frst monastic vows to fve
disciples at Tousand Island Park and probably
had made other brahmacharins since his return
from England.
Of Dr Street, the third sannyasin Swamiji
made in the US, he wrote to Sturdy on 13 Feb-
ruary 1896: Today another Sannyasin has been
added to the list. Tis time it is a man who is
a genuine American and a religious teacher of
some standing in the country. He was Dr Street.
He is now Yogananda, as his leaning is all to-
wards Yoga. 4 Swami Yogananda had, in fact, de-
veloped certain psychic powers before he had
met Swamiji, as one learns from Swami Abheda-
nanda, who met Yogananda in New York in
1898. Abhedananda wrote in his diary:
On March 3 [1898] Swami Yogananda called
on me and spent the morning talking on psychic
experiences he had acquired by crystal gazing.
He could foretell events by looking intently on
a ball of white crystal placing it on a small table
in front. Tis is called Tratak Yoga in India. He
had practised this branch of Hatha Yoga for
many years before he met Swami Vivekananda
and attended his classes on Raja Yoga in New
York city [sic]. Swami Vivekananda was pleased
to know him and admired his psychic powers.
He was a student of Egyptian mysticism and
wrote a book on that subject. He was a clairvoy-
ant, that is, with the help of his crystal he gained
the psychic vision of things or events happening
at a long distance.
Te only other bit of information that the
present writer knows about this frst Yankee
sannyasin is that by June of 1896 he had started
a class in Brooklyn and was in close touch with
the New York Vedanta Society (3.51920).
Tere seems to be no further information
about how or why Dr Street lost contact with
the Order.
PB July 2014 434
F Henrietta Mller
She was a fery woman whose primary inter-
est was the Womens Movement in England,
which she worked for and propagated during
most of her life. She was closely associated with
the eforts to establish womens trade unions.
Swamijis frst known invitation to visit Eng-
land had come to him from Miss F Henrietta
Mller. In 1893 she had spoken at the Teo-
sophical Congress at the Parliament of Reli-
gions and met Swamiji there. Tis gave him
an opportunity to fulfl his long-held idea of
carrying his message to the English people.
In London he was received by Miss Henrietta
Mller and Mr Sturdy, stayed as a guest at Miss
Mllers house, and then moved to Mr Sturdys
house. His new friends arranged for him a pub-
lic lecture at Princes Hall in Piccadilly on 22
October 1895. One listener wrote that
his lecture entitled Self-knowledge
electrifed the audience with his grand
and powerful oratory. 5
Afer Swamijis departure from Eng-
land, Miss Mller also lef England and
arrived in Calcutta during the second
week of March 1897. Towards the end
of April 1897 Swamiji went to Almora,
urged by his doctors and brother monks
to recuperate his shattered health. Miss
Mller had also reached Almora with
Swami Shivananda and Goodwin. Re-
garding Swamijis lecture in the Eng-
lish Club at Almora Miss Mller wrote:
For some time it seemed as though the
Teacher, his words, his audience, and the
spirit pervading them all, were one. No
longer was there any consciousness of
I and Tou, of Tis or Tat. Te
diferent units collected there, were for
the time being lost and merged in the
spiritual radiance which emanated so
powerfully from the great Teacher, and held
them all, more than spell bound (2.278).
On 11 March 1898, during a meeting arranged
under the auspices of the Ramakrishna Mission
at the Star Teatre, presided over by Swamiji, she
was called on to say a few words. Miss Mller
was hailed with applause when she addressed the
audience as my dear friends and fellow-country-
men (2.319). She and the other Western disciples
of Swamiji felt, she said, that in coming to India
they had come to their homea home not of
spiritual enlightenment, but also the dwelling
place of their own kindred. She was a devoted
friend and admirer of Swamiji. It was she who,
together with Mr and Mrs Sevier and Mr Sturdy,
met the expenses of Swamijis work in England.
In March 1898 Swamiji bought a piece of land
F Henrietta Mller
435 PB July 2014
over seven acres in extent, together with a build-
ing, on the west bank of the Ganga at Belur. It
was Miss Mller who gave the money39,000
rupeesfor purchasing the land. She again
ofered 200 per annum towards the mainten-
ance of Swamijis proposed project of building a
monastery in Calcutta as a training ground for
Vedanta teachers.
Miss Mller also went to Darjeeling on 7
April 1898 with Swami Akhanda nanda to have
the company of Swamiji, who had gone there
(2.327).
Yet, how strange that Miss Mller severed all
connections with Swamijis Vedanta movement
and returned from India full of rancour. Towards
the end of her visit in India, she had advertised
in the press the severance of her connection with
Swamijis movement and her return to the Chris-
tian faith. Tough Swamiji must have felt bad
on learning this, he knew that changing her reli-
gious afliation and making declarations in the
press was not a new thing for her. Back on 16
July 1895 she had announced in the Madras Mail
that she was leaving the Teosophical Society. It
was afer this that she had become a follower of
Swamiji in England. We learn from Niveditas
letter to Miss Macleod, dated 7 December 1898,
the reason she gave for her defection: She [Miss
Mller] has thrown everything overboard: Sri
Ramakrishna, Swami, Meditation. She does
not hesitate to say that Hinduism is Eroticism
to the core. All, meditation included, is dirty.
She is now a Bible Christian of a virulent type,
and tending towards millennialism. I spoke
of Swami. Oh, you wont love him long! she an-
swered gailyDivine Master! (2.414).
Swami Saradananda wrote to Miss MacLeod:
A few opinions of Miss Mller will interest and
enlighten even yourself. We are a nation of
black magicians; we mesmerize food and so on,
and we have practised that on our dear Granny
[Mrs Bull] and Yum [Miss MacLeod], hence
your devotion and love. It is her sacred duty
to go around in England and elsewhere and en-
lighten people of these bright experiences.
No salvation for Swami or us, unless we become
Christians as herself, who, the Swami says, has
never been baptized (2.415).
Besides the reasons mentioned by Sister Ni-
vedita and Swami Saradananda, the illness of
Swamiji might also have infuenced Miss Ml-
lers decision. Mrs Ashton Jonson was another
of Swamijis erstwhile English followers whose
ardour and enthusiasm had noticeably cooled.
She was also of the opinion that a spiritual per-
son should not fall physically ill, an opinion not
uncommon among certain religious groups of
that period.
Edward T Sturdy
An Englishman and erstwhile Teosophist, Mr
Sturdy had lived for some time at Almora to
practise religious disciplines. Tere he came in
contact with Shivananda and learnt from him
about Vivekananda, who was then in the West.
Returning to England he sent his cordial invi-
tation to Swamiji to visit England as his guest.
Swamiji had already received an invitation from
Miss Mller. He looked upon these invitations
as a divine call for spreading the message of
Vedanta among the English. Arriving in Lon-
don he lived with Miss Mller for a few days
and then moved to Mr Sturdys home. Tere he
lived with Mr and Mrs Sturdy for six weeks. He
held long philosophical discussions with his host
and helped him study Sanskrit and translate the
Narada Bhakti Sutra into English.
On 22 October 1895 Mr Sturdy arranged for
Swamiji a public lecture at Princes Hall, bear-
ing the major part of the expenses. Many of his
hearers admitted that the swami, in one short
hour, was able to express all that was the very
PB July 2014 436
36
highest in the way of reli-
gious thought. His cir-
cle of infuence steadily
increased. Mr Sturdy
introduced him to
many people and
helped him in form-
ing classes. Thus,
during Swamijis
first visit to Eng-
land, his message
found a permanent
place in the hearts of
English people and
laid the foundation for
his future work. He also
had gained a worker like
E T Sturdy.
Mr Sturdy depicted
Swamiji as a yogi coming with
love in his heart and the tradition of
ages in his memory, and his teachings as
the life-giving stream of Indian thought (2.55).
It was Sturdy who had the privilege of accom-
panying Swamiji during the latters visit to the
celebrated Orientalist Professor Max Mller
of Oxford.
During the middle of October 1896 Swamiji,
together with Captain and Mrs Sevier, were to
leave for India. His English students were flled
with sadness. Sturdy, the indefatigable worker,
organized a farewell to be held in his honour
and presented the following address to Swamiji:
We feel the very deepest regret that you are so
soon to leave England. Who have come under
the elevating infuence of your teaching, and no
less of your personal attributes recognize as
the most helpful encouragement to us, one and
all, to become real lovers of God in practice as
well as in theory. We look forward with keen an-
ticipation to your speedy return to this country
(2.146). In a letter to a friend
in the US he writes: Swami
Vivekananda lef today.
I am heavy-hearted
at the loss of the no-
blest friend and the
purest teacher I have
met in this incarna-
tion. I must have
stored some excep-
tional merit in the
past to receive such a
blessing now. What I
longed for all my life
I have found in the
Swami (2.150).
In the absence of
Swamiji, Sturdy kept the
classes going on with the help
of Abhedananda. Swamiji had
called his brother monk at the re-
quest of Sturdy to assist him with the work
in England. Who can say what happened that
Sturdys loyalty and enthusiasm for work cooled
completely. Te edifce of the work in England
collapsed within a few months, and by the end
of July 1897 Abhedananda had to close his centre
in London. According to Sturdys directions, he
sailed for the US to take up the New York work.
When Swamiji arrived in London, on his
second visit to the West, Christine Greenstidel
and Mary Funke came all the way from the US
to receive their guru. Conspicuous by his ab-
sence at the dock was Mr Sturdy. Tis must
have come as a disappointment to Swamiji,
turning soon into a painful surprise and a rude
shock. Te unwholesome thoughts Mr Sturdy
was harbouring exploded through acrimoni-
ous letters to Swamiji, denouncing his ways of
teaching and preaching.
(Continued on page 443)
Edward T Sturdy
437 PB July 2014
Swami Vivekanandas 3 Hs Formula
Dr Alpana Ghose
I
f there was anything I needed most it
was a break from my pressing duties and day-
to-day household work. Being dragged by my
hard and monotonous work schedule, I decided
to take some time out for myself. I started enquir-
ing about a suitable place where I could thor-
oughly relax. I knew that a peaceful environment
amidst nature was the only way to fulfl my ob-
jective, and Jharkhand suited my requirements.
It is an Indian state well known for its beautiful
springs, streams, forests, and hills.
Tere was someone I could contact to help me
schedule this small but much needed vacation.
It was Nitin, the son of a friend of mine and a
Jharkhand Government employee. He stayed in
a remote place called Kisko, about 40 km from
Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. He had once
told me that Kisko would be ideal for a short holi-
day, as the place had small hills and also a beautiful
stream fowing through it. Tere they had govern-
ment quarters, one of which could be temporarily
put at my disposal. I took this opportunity and
one fne morning lef for Kisko.
I reached Kisko in just about two and a half
hours. And yes, it was what I longed to see. Te
beauty of the village, with houses scattered here
and there, enchanted me more than I expected.
Te residential quarters were comfortable. I ex-
pressed my gratitude to Nitin and decided to
make full use of my holy-days.
Te sun rose above the hills the next morn-
ing when I woke up to witness a celestial play on
an exquisite stage of nature. Te sight relaxed
and refreshed my being and the cheerful twit-
ter of birds in the garden uplifed my feelings.
Te place was giving me the required quietude.
Now it was time, afer breakfast, to sit down at
the window with my cherished hobby of writing.
Completely engrossed in my writings, I sud-
denly heard a vehicle stop in front of the gate.
At frst I thought that someone might be visit-
ing next door, but to my surprise I saw a greyish
blue government jeep right in front of my place.
As the gate opened, I wondered who could it be.
I went out to investigate and found myself before
a beautiful tall lady. Good morning maam, she
said. Tis composed lady, with a sari and hair tied
back, looked familiar, though I was not able to
recognize her. I am Razia maam. Have you for-
gotten me? She looked into my eyes and I almost
cried: Oh my God! Razia. How on earth are you
here? How did you know I have come here? I
bombarded her with questions. She smiled and
asked: Can I frst come in maam? I welcomed
her in. More surprises were in store for me.
Te pale frail girl that I knew had grown up
into a fne lady, like a butterfy coming out of
its cocoon. She gladly explained that she was a
Block Development Ofcer (bdo) of the Kisko
block. Really? Yes maam; your 3 Hs formula
has worked wonderfully. I experienced a joyful
tremor inside.
Memories of her fooded my mind. One day,
when I was verifying the forms for the BSc (Bach-
elor of Science) fnal year students at the teachers
room at our college in Ranchi, a girl came with
an exam-application form for verifcation. Te
colour of her application form was diferent from
the one for regular students, which indicated
she wanted to reappear in the exams. I took her
PB July 2014 438
original documents and started verifying them.
My eyes were on those papers when I asked the
girl: What paper did you fail in? Why dont you
people study well? You miss classes regularly
and come to college only to have fun and enjoy-
ment? She said she had failed in the honours
subject that I was teaching at the college. Before
scolding her further I suddenly saw the name
Razia Khatoon (name changed). Without rais-
ing my eyes from the papers, I asked: How many
brothers and sisters do you have? Faintly I could
hear eleven, maam. I raised my eyes; she was in
tears and stifened. Te teachers present in the
room also started staring at her, but in spite of
her visible eforts, she could not control her sobs.
I took her to the nearby vacant room and
asked her about her family. She said her father
was a farmer with a small piece of land, which
was the main source of income for their family.
She was the eldest of fve sisters and six brothers.
As usual, the brothers received more attention
than the girls, as they were considered to be the
future source of earning for the family. Being the
eldest daughter she had to look afer her younger
siblings and do household chores as well. Even
then she had a zeal for studies and made every ef-
fort to graduate in science. She had managed to
pass parts I and II of the graduation exams, but
failed in the fnal part III. Tat was the reason for
her reappearing for the exams. I wanted to know
if she regularly attended classes. She lowered her
head and kept silent. How could she expect to
pass without attending classes? I was curious to
know the reason for her not attending the classes
and was surprised by the answer. She did not have
enough money to pay the everyday bus fares! She
would attend the college only two or three times a
week. She would collect the study materials in the
form of class notes taken by others, though many
were reluctant to share their class notes with her.
She could not aford to purchase the books either.
I was dejected and felt sorry for her. My mind was
repentant for scolding her. It was evident from her
pale and frail appearance that she did not even
have two proper meals a day. I now appreciated
her zeal for reappearing in the honours exams. I
summoned her the next day to help her by provid-
ing some books and other available course mater-
ials. She agreed, but did not come.
Afer a week or so she came to me asking for
books. Seeing my eagerness to know about the
reason for her late appearance, she told me that
her mother was sick. I gave her the books and told
her to study hard as the exams were coming soon.
It was then that I told her about Swami Viveka-
nandas 3 Hs formula: head, heart, and hands. I
believed that one can do anything if one follows
Swamijis message of using ones head, heart, and
hands. In her present situation she had to grasp
the subjects by using her head, concentrate by
loving her work and studies with her heart, and
increase her writing speed with her hands. If you
follow this, you will surely succeed. Tese are not
my words; this is a famous teaching of Swami
Vivekananda. Not much time is lef for exams, so
please follow this 3 Hs formula, I concluded. I
gave her some probable questions for the exams.
She seemed to be happy and promised to study
hard, as she felt the books would be a great source
of help to her. I also gave her some money for her
tifn and bus fares. At frst she was reluctant to
take the money, but I insisted and requested her
to take it as a token of friendship. She fnally took
it and went away. Afer a month the exams were
over and the results out. I was happy to see that
Razia had cleared the exams. She had achieved
her dream of completing her graduation.
Years passed and I forgot all about her. And
now she suddenly appeared before me as a bdo!
What a satisfaction. Still dazed I asked her: Tell
me your story. Why did you never meet me
again? She said: I am sorry, maam. I did not
439 PB July 2014
give back your books as my younger sister needed
them. Tat does not matter. Tell me about your
story. Maam, you had given me the booster dose
with Swami Vivekanandas 3 Hs formula. Afer
getting those books from you, I worked hard to
increase my writing speed. I improved my con-
centration in studies and started to remember the
studied subjects. It took some time and efort.
Ten I felt I could do it. I reappeared in the exams
and knew that this time I would get through. I
scored second class, which was good enough for
me. I planned to appear in the Jharkhand Public
Service Commission (jpsc) exams. It was difcult
to convince my father, but he agreed afer some
persuasion. We formed a group of three girls along
with a boy from our neighbourhood to study to-
gether. Trough our preparation we gradually felt
confdent, and the goal seemed to be within our
reach. By that time all of us knew about Swamijis
3 Hs formula and everyone was trying their best
to put it into practice.
Tree of us appeared in the jpsc exams, a real
challenge in our lives. To our immense joy all of
us got through. Tat was the happiest day of my
life. I felt as if I had grown wings and I could fy.
My father went to every house in the neighbour-
hood saying: It is my daughter not son who has
become an ofcer. Everybody congratulated me
with sweets. A dream had come true for my whole
family. Afer training I have been posted here in
Kisco. And I liked this place very much. I sighed
afer breathlessly listening to her story. But how
did you know I had come here? I asked. She ex-
plained: Nitin is a good friend of mine. I used
to tell him about you and Swamijis formula. He
planned to bring you here so that we could meet
again and give you a surprise. Unable to control
my tears, I embraced her, kissed her, and blessed
her from the core of my heart. I took out a photo-
graph of Swami Vivekananda and gave it to her,
telling that Swamiji has done the miracle, not me.
We both then sat down to take tea and talk
about her present duties and her family. One
of her younger sisters was doing postgraduate
studies, while the elder brothers were helping
their father with the farm. She helped them by
providing information about the advanced tech-
niques of farming with the help of the Internet.
Te younger ones were still studying. She had
brought her parents to stay with her.
What have you decided about your marriage?
was my next query. With her cheeks reddening,
she told me: Madam, my fanc is posted in Bhan-
dra, a nearby block. We were studying together.
His name is Farhan. We are planning to marry
next year. He also believes in the 3 Hs formula.
We have a plan to extend a helping hand to the
village girls who cannot go to school for various
reasons and also to start a school for them.
Afer listening to all these developments I
mentally saluted Swami Vivekananda for his mes-
sage to all of us. His eternal words will help many
more generations to come. Meeting with Razia
made my Kisko trip unforgettable. P
A Memorable Event, by Amit Kumar Sarkar
P
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PB July 2014 440
Comprehensive Education
in the Light of Swami Vivekananda
Rajeshri Trivedi
S
wami Vivekananda, an educationalist
par excellence, presented the concept of
man-making education, which constitutes
a comprehensive development of the human
personality. Such education considers inculca-
tion of social, ethical, and spiritual values as an
absolute necessity for an all-round human de-
velopment. Many people labour under the idea
that education merely means going to school or
college, whereas Swamiji has given a compre-
hensive ideal of an education that is essential
for the present times.
Education is not mere book-learning, accord-
ing to Swamiji, nor is it diverse knowledge. For
him education is the training by which the cur-
rent and expression of will are brought under
control and become fruitful.1 Te dynamism
that modern societies are to witness due to such
education is not to be merely an external impos-
ition of information but the fowing of positive
energy from within.
Real Education
Te purpose of education is the uplifment of
individuals and of society. Although Swamiji
did not write a book on education, he contrib-
uted valuable thoughts that are relevant and
viable today. His of-quoted defnition, on
which hinge all his other thoughts on educa-
tion, is: Education is the manifestation of the
perfection already in man (4.358). Tis def-
inition implies that perfection is inherent in
everyone and needs to be manifested through
education. He says: What a man learns is
really what he discovers, by taking the cover
of his own soul, which is a mine of infnite
knowledge (1.28). Tis manifestation takes
place as a natural growth from inside out. As
in the case of a plant that grows according to
its nature but needs external help to make it
healthy and strong, similarly education should
serve as an external source of help for growth.
All studies are just to awaken our soul, which,
besides being a mine of infnite knowledge, is
also a mine of infnite power. Tis power can
be translated into developing the capacity and
capability of becoming anything one wants. No
power in the external world can stand for long
as a bar to the internal world.
Te mind, however, is the frst bar and,
according to Swamiji, it can be remoulded
through proper eforts. In most cases the mind
is untrained, fragmented, and restless. He said:
We must have life-building, man-making,
character-making assimilation of ideas (3.302).
One must think good thoughts for the bad
tendencies are to be counteracted by the good
ones, and the bad impressions on the mind
should be removed by the fresh waves of good
ones, until all that is evil almost disappears, or
is subdued and held in control in a corner of
the mind (1.55). Next, every thought and ac-
tion that is selfsh weakens the mind and will
not build up a good character. When thoughts
and actions are unselfsh the strength of the
mind grows. Swamijis idea of education makes
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441 PB July 2014
Comprehensive Education in the Light of Swami Vivekananda 41
one self-controlled, fearless, altruistic, and frees
the mind from innumerable problems. Such a
mind helps one easily meet the daily challenges
of life. Te core of education is concentration.
Swamiji says: To me the very essence of educa-
tion is concentration of mind, not the collect-
ing of facts. If I had to do my education over
again, and had any voice in the matter, I would
not study facts at all. I would develop the power
of concentration and detachment, and then
with a perfect instrument I could collect facts
at will. Side by side, in the child, should be de-
veloped the power of concentration and de-
tachment (6.389).
Every society has two aspects: internal and
external. Te internal is culture and the exter-
nal civilization. Swamiji says: It is culture that
withstands shocks, not a simple mass of know-
ledge (3.291). Swamiji wanted a culture based
on spirituality because at the core of everyone
is the spiritual entitythe Atman. Such culture
fows outwards and makes civilization spirit-
ual. Te student should also be possessed of
shraddha, faith. Tis faith can work wonders
for oneself and for others. Todays education is
very superfcial and Swamiji had warned: We
are always trying to polish up the outside. What
use in polishing up the outside when there is
no inside? Te end and aim of all training is
to make the man grow (2.15). Tus education
should integrate the personality and cultivate
every faculty a person is endowed with. Ones
intellect should be cultured along with ones
emotional, active, and aesthetic side. Swamiji
knew that a healthy mind resides in a healthy
body and therefore encouraged us to exercise
and be strong.
Swamiji was convinced that education alone
would be able to solve most of the problems
plaguing humankind, provided that education
is given a spiritual orientation. Accordingly, the
educational system should be able to focus on
the spiritual side of the human personality. Trad-
itionally, Indian culture has always attempted
to give a spiritual direction to human growth,
consistent with the real dignity of humankind
and its infnite potentialities. Today even the
physical sciences have recognized that the crite-
rion of evolution at the human stage is qualita-
tive, namely, fulflment and not mere numerical
increase or survival. Wise people also realize
that matter and its derivatives is not the goal
of life. Te Upanishads uphold that the search
for fulflment leads us progressively beyond our
physical and sensate awareness, which is fnite
and limited. According to Swamiji, it is through
spiritual growth that humans can achieve fulfl-
ment, by realizing their true essence as the infn-
ite Atman.
Swamijis idea of education leads to human
excellence and not to the achievement of a mere
academic career. An education with a spiritual
orientation is important because the surplus
human energy at the secular or sensate level
falls back on the personality and creates emo-
tional disturbances and inner tensions. Tis en-
ergy should be raised to reach higher levels of
consciousness.
Terefore, a consolidated training for the
youth has to encourage a responsible social be-
haviour with a sharp moral sense. Tis process
need not be aligned to any particular class or
culture but can be universal to include all levels
of society. Education should foster humanism,
which is a universal value, and through which
it is possible to rise above all narrowness and
achieve the status of a spiritually developed in-
dividual at the social level.
Te process of education should help every
person to assimilate the forces of science, tech-
nology, and democracy. Tat is, there ought
to be an equilibrium between the intellectual
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PB July 2014 442
forces of science, the social forces of technology
and democracy, and the force of spirituality.
Tis balance between materialism and spiritu-
ality will bring great human advancement and
welfare in diferent felds.
In the past the assimilation of the forces of
science and democracy was problematic due to
the revolutionary efect they had on societies.
In most cultures religious consciousness is not
hospitable to these forces. Tis has resulted in
schism and confict between science and reli-
gion, reason and faith, matter and spirit, human-
kind against the universe and each other. Such
a situation can be precarious in todays world.
Hence Swamiji gave us a comprehensive idea
of education and development in order to har-
monize all the material and spiritual forces. Ul-
timately, Swamiji showed that they are one, and
education is to play this great role of bringing all
conficts and schisms to an end.
Social and moral values are integral to educa-
tion. Ethical and moral values are actually spir-
itual values realized in a social context. Swamiji
says that education does not consist of cramming
information into the mind (3.302), but train-
ing the mind in the capacity to search for facts
and information, organize it into knowledge by
fnding interrelationship and signifcance, and
use that knowledge to enhance the quality of
life. Hence education is like a science that helps
in the systematic unfolding of the inherent cap-
acities and powers of the mind.
Gradual Ascent towards the Goal
Te goal of human life is the attainment of
mukti, spiritual freedom, which was generally
reserved for ascetics and persons of high calibre.
Swamiji observed that this high ideal lef the
majority mentally and spiritually ill- nourished
and made the ideal irrelevant for them. Te
high spiritual inaction of mukti becomes, in
the lives of the unprepared, a caricature of lazi-
ness, inertia, and unconcern. It is important to
frst realize the lesser and more easily attainable
ideals of life before climbing towards mukti,
which many people fail to realize.
Te requisites for social welfare and devel-
opment are active ethics and not passive virtues
of the other-worldly. Te ordinary person, in
a social environment, needs social ethics that
would give importance to civic and social vir-
tues and responsibilities. Tus, it is important
to realize the more attainable ideals of charac-
ter-building, work efciency, spirit of cooper-
ation, concern for the environment, and general
social well-being. Swamiji had observed that
though Western countries were running head-
long towards pleasures, they had the virtues of
good character, efciency, and human concern.
Tese are virtues that build up individuals with
a strong moral sense and create a balanced soci-
ety, ethically and economically.
Our social life should be a preparation to
launch ourselves into spirituality. A person act-
ing correctly develops socially, morally, and
spiritually. Spiritual realization comes only to a
person through the correct realization of social
and moral values. Tus Swamijis concept of edu-
cation introduces a person to the ideas of inner
growth and development, apart from the more
obvious physical growth and development.
It is the human being that creates values
while interacting with nature and society.
Trough these interactions humans learn to
create new values or refne old ones. As humans
are dynamic, so also are societies and values.
Swamijis concept of a comprehensive edu-
cation aims at the physical, intellectual, and
ethical integration of the individual into a com-
plete whole. Tis in turn fosters the integra-
tion of individuals with the rest of humanity
and its concerns and problems. Tus education
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443 PB July 2014
Comprehensive Education in the Light of Swami Vivekananda 43
should not be school-centred or book-centred
but individual-centred.
Education should aim to produce holistic vir-
tues and graces that will create truly global citi-
zens. Such individuals can cooperate and live
harmoniously with fellow humans rather than
colliding with them. Tis education should be
accessible to all because it is universal. Tis con-
cept of human excellence attempts to transform
mere organic individuality into a conscious so-
cial participation.
Te goal of education is to make a person uni-
versal. In Swamijis view (5.382), an individual
must be led towards the values of renunciation
and service, through which he or she is able to
become universal. In the present social context
renunciation means the subjugation of the lower
(Continued from page 436)
Swamijis Feelings
How did these defections afect Swamiji? True,
they did give him much pain, but having infn-
ite faith in the possibilities of the human soul,
his love for those who deserted him remained
the same. Notwithstanding Sturdys insolence,
Swamiji brought the chain of his insulting letters
to a close with the remark: Tat India still lives,
Sturdy[that] India of undying love. And I,
the least of that Indias child, love you, Sturdy,
with Indian love, and would any day give up a
thousand bodies to help you out of this delusion
(2.478). His all-embracing love was truly divine.
Nothing could make him overreact. He wrote
about Miss Mller to Christine Greenstidel: Did
you hear about my friend Miss Mller? Well, she
lef me in Indiaand they say tried to injure me
in England. Her defection was a great blow to
meas I loved her so much (2.479). Convinced
self with a view of developing character. Service
makes the heart broad; it is integral to citizen-
ship. Service is a universal value. Just as the inter-
connectedness among nations helps in economic
development, so also the interconnectedness of
humanity at the psychological level helps in its
spiritual advancement.
As we have seen, Swami Vivekanandas con-
cept of a comprehensive education is a powerful
agent in integrating the whole of humankind,
which is the frst step towards the development
of truly spiritual societies. P
Reference
9, 1997), 4.490.
of the greatness of the power working through
him, Swamiji depended on no human help. He
knew that it was by divine will that his message
was amply broadcast. Te disloyalty of some
people could not stand against its progress. Des-
pite such blows and disappointments, Swamijis
celestial radiance remained undimmed. Can a
defect in the eye of the beholder diminish the
brilliance of the sun? P
References
1. His Eastern and Western Disciples, Te Life of
Swami Vivekananda, 2 vols (Kolkata: Advaita
Ashrama, 2008), 2.3.
2. His Eastern and Western Admirers, Reminis-
cences of Swami Vivekananda (Kolkata: Advaita
Ashrama, 2004), 289.
3. Te Life of Swami Vivekananda, 2.647.
4. Marie Louise Burke, Swami Vivekananda in the
West: New Discoveries, 6 vols (Calcutta: Advaita
Ashrama, 1985), 3.51819.
5. Te Life of Swami Vivekananda, 2.45.
PB July 2014 444
Signifcance of Shodashi Puja
Brahmachari Chandikachaitanya
E
very great life is the elaboration of a
noble ideal that nurtures many other lives
and provides guidance for future gener-
ations. Terefore, it is necessary to focus on that
central ideal while studying the lives of great
people. In the life of Sri Ramakrishna, the ava-
tara of this age, one fnds him undergoing difer-
ent types of sadhana and experiencing high states
of consciousness, which he then teaches in a sim-
ple way. All of Sri Ramakrishnas experiences lead
him to a wonderful epoch-making incident: the
worship of his consort Sri Sarada Devi as the Di-
vine Mother and the surrendering of the fruit of
his sadhana to her. Sri Ramakrishna performed
Shodashi Puja, with Sri Sarada Devi as the living
Shodashi, in his room at Dakshineswar on the
night of the Phalaharini Kali Puja.
Shodashi refers to the Divine Mother in
one of her ten forms of a beautiful immaculate
sixteen-year-old girl. Many men still consider
women to be merely objects of enjoyment and
child-bearing-and-rearing machines. By wor-
shipping and invoking the Devi in the living
form of Sri Sarada Devi, Sri Ramakrishna gave
a new meaning to the idea of womanhood and
also awakened in the Holy Mother the idea of
universal motherhood. Te signifcance of this
event is very important for todays women and
men, as it strips away the idea of life as merely
material and shows the underlying divine dimen-
sion of all human beings.
Women: Forms of Divinity
From Vedic times in India, like in some other
ancient world cultures, God is also conceived
as feminine and even worshipped in many
goddesses. India not only retained her numer-
ous primeval goddesses but added more to its
pantheon over the years. Tis pervasive idea
of numerous goddesses induced Indians to ad-
dress women as manifestations of the Divine
Feminine. However, during the centuries that
followed, general religious practices were in-
creasingly infuenced by monasticism. Vedic
rituals, in which the wife was indispensable,
were slowly divested of their old importance.
Women were now labelled as embodiments
of maya, of bondage. Many saints and monks
shunned women thinking them to be the great-
est obstacle in spiritual life. Tough in the
Vedic age girls used to study along with boys,
during the medieval ages girls were deprived of
education at schools. Tey were to be educated
at home by their fathers and brothers. With
general education denied to them, women be-
came economically dependent on others and
lost their freedom in many aspects of social
life. Swamiji says: Te gods are pleased where
the women are held in esteemsays the old
Manu. We are horrible sinners, and our deg-
radation is due to our calling women despic-
able worms, gateways to hell, and so forth.
Goodness gracious! Tere is all the diference
between heaven and hell!! 1
Endowed with exceptional renunciation
Sri Ramakrishna not only lived with his con-
sort but elevated her on the altar of univer-
sal motherhood, thus making her one of his
most powerful instruments for spreading his
message. In worshipping the Holy Mother, Sri
445 PB July 2014
Signifcance of Shodashi Puja 45
Ramakrishna revived an ancient teaching of the
Chandi: Vidyah samastastava devi bhedah stri-
yah samastah sakala jagatsu; O Devi, all types
of knowledge are your aspects, all female forms
in the universe are verily thy manifestation. 2
All women are the refections of the Divine
Mother, who appears as daughter, wife, and
mother in peoples life. But by far the mother
form is the purest as well as the most benefcial
in this world. In her current incarnation as Sri
Sarada Devi, the Divine Mother exemplifes
the highest ideal of motherhood. She declared:
My son, dont you know that the Master used
to see the Divine Mother in all beings? Tis
time he has lef me behind in order to teach the
Motherhood of God to the world.3
For twelve years Sri Ramakrishna underwent
several spiritual practices and attained perfection
in all of them, which was more of a lesson to the
world than for his own beneft. It demonstrated
how intensely one must yearn for God in order
to see him. An avatara comes for the good of
the world and so his sadhana is for the beneft
of the world. By worshipping the Holy Mother
at the culmination of all his sadhana, Sri Rama-
krishna made available his spiritual treasures to
the world by ofering them to her. She is now
the keeper of the spiritual treasures, and those
who approach her as children receive those treas-
ures that help in the path towards liberation. Sri
Ramakrishna has re-established the honour of
women and made them conscious of their di-
vine aspect. From the moment Sri Ramakrishna
surrendered everything to the Holy Mother the
auspicious awakening of woman power began
in the world.
The Worship
It was a new moon night and the auspicious
time of the Phalaharini Kali Puja,4 when the
Divine Mother pleased with the worship
becomes phalaharini, who devours the fruits of
the karma that leads to future births. Tis puja
was also being celebrated at the Dakshineswar
temple. Sri Ramakrishna had privately arranged
for the Shodashi Puja in his room. He had sent
beforehand a message to the Holy Mother to
be present at that time. Afer fnishing the pre-
liminary parts of the puja, Sri Ramakrishna
asked the Holy Mother to take the seat meant
for the Devi. He sprinkled sanctifed water on
her and uttered the mantras for invoking the
Devi Shodashi thus: O Divine Mother Tripura-
sundari! O Eternal Virgin, possessor of all
power! Please open the gate of perfection. Pur-
ify her body and mind, and manifest Yourself
through her for the welfare of all.5 Sri Rama-
krishna then worshipped Shodashi in the Holy
Mother with sixteen items, according to the
rules of the puja. Afer ofering food to the Devi
he placed a little of that in the Holy Mothers
mouth, who was in deep samadhi! Sri Rama-
krishna also went into samadhi, and thus the
worshipper and the worshipped were united.
Some time passed in this way. It was long afer
midnight when the Master gradually regained
partial consciousness of the world. In that semi-
conscious state he ofered himself to the Devi
manifest in the person of Sarada, and then for-
ever surrendered at her feet himself, the result of
his sadhana and his rosary. He then bowed down
to her with this prayer: O consort of Shiva, the
most auspicious of all auspicious beings! O Doer
of all actions! O Refuge of all! O three-eyed god-
dess of golden complexion! O power of Nara-
yana, I salute You again and again (ibid.).
A worship as this, in which a husband wor-
ships the Divine Mother in his wife, is uncom-
mon in religious literature. Puja is generally
performed in a pratima, image, and a pratika,
symbol, like a ghata, pitcher, yantra, or a pata,
picture. It takes a worshipper of a very high
PB July 2014 446
calibre to perform puja in a living being. Sri
Ramakrishna says: If God can be worshipped
through a clay image, then why not through a
man? 6 It is through this worship that Sri Rama-
krishna introduced the Holy Mother to the
world as the Divine Mother, who, as we see in
her life, expressed her universal motherhood by
reaching out to everything in creation.
Divine Relationship
Te human intellect has achieved much due
to its desire to know the unknown. Tis intel-
lect, unless purifed by devotion to God and
tapasya, can never fathom the divine relation-
ship between Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Sarada
Devi. Tey looked like ordinary people, but the
many perfected saints who came
to Dakshineswar saw them as ava-
taras of God.
No action is possible for the
formless Brahman unless it is
aided by Shakti. Tat is why Sri
Ramakrishna made his Shakti
perform tasks for the spiritual
welfare of the world. It would
be imprudent to think that their
powers are separate. Tey are one
and the same. Te Bhagavadgita
says: Under me who am the Su-
pervisor, Prakriti produces (the
universe) with all the moving
and the non-moving things.7 Sri
Ramakrishna also says:
Names and forms are nothing but
the manifestations of the power
of Prakriti. Sita said to Hanuman:
My child, in one form I am Sita, in
another form I am Rama. In one
form I am Indra, in another I am
Indrani. In one form I am Brahma,
in another, Brahmani. In one form
I am Rudra, in another, Rudrani. Whatever
names and forms you see are nothing but the
manifestations of the power of Chitshakti.
Everything is the power of Chitshaktieven
meditation and the meditator. As long as I feel
that I am meditating, I am within the jurisdic-
tion of Prakriti.8
Again Sri Ramakrishna says: Whatever you
perceive in the universe is the outcome of this
union. Take the image of Siva and Kali. Kali
stands on the bosom of Siva; Siva lies under Her
feet like a corpse; Kali looks at Siva. All this de-
notes the union of Purusha and Prakriti. Puru-
sha is inactive; therefore Siva lies on the ground
like a corpse. Prakriti performs all Her activities
in conjunction with Purusha. Tus She creates,
Sarada Ma, by Swami Tadatmananda P
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Signifcance of Shodashi Puja 47
preserves, and destroys (2712). Tis same entity
came down as the conjoint powers of Sri Rama-
krishna and the Holy Mother.
Te aim of a jiva is to become Shiva. But that
Shiva, according to the tantras, lies dormant in
the sahasrara, thousand-petalled lotus chakra.
Only if Shakti wishes can a jiva be awakened. But
before this happens the seeker will have to cross
through many layers of consciousness, starting
from the muladhara chakra, where the kundalini
Shakti dwells in a coiled form. Sri Ramakrishna
used to sing: Awake, Mother! Awake! How long
Tou hast been asleep / In the lotus of the Mula-
dhara! / Fulfl Ty secret function, Mother: /
Rise to the thousand-petalled lotus within the
head, / Where mighty Siva has His dwelling; /
Swifly pierce the six lotuses / And take away my
grief, O Essence of Consciousness! (242). It is
for this reason that Sri Ramakrishna established
the Holy Mother in the world so that seekers can
easily attain liberation through her grace.
Swamiji says:
You have not yet understood the wonder-
ful signifcance of Mothers lifenone of you.
But gradually you will know. Without Shakti
(Power) there is no regeneration for the world.
Why is it that our country is the weakest and the
most backward of all countries?because Shakti
is held in dishonour there. Mother has been born
to revive that wonderful Shakti in India; and
making her the nucleus, once more will Gargis
and Maitreyis be born into the world.9
With all its violence and destruction, the
world needs a new phase of peace and recon-
struction. Tis will be possible when humanity
can manifest its creative power, and at the centre
of this power stands the Divine Mother.
While studying the life of the Holy Mother we
fnd that she is still attracting the world through
her motherly lovea love without discrimin-
ation. She projects herself as the mother of good
and bad people alike. A devotee once asked her:
I call you mother; but I want to know if you
are my mother as a matter of fact. If I am not
your real mother answered the Mother, what
else am I? I am really the mother.10 Moreover,
she declares herself as the mother of even lower
creatures. A novice once asked her: Are you the
Mother of all? Yes, replied the Mother. Even
of these lower creatures? pressed the inquirer.
Yes, answered the Mother (363).
Sri Ramakrishna realized God as the Divine
Mother in her various aspects, especially in Sri
Sarada Devi. Afer he ofered everything at her
feet during the Shodashi Puja, he placed the
Holy Mother as an ideal for this world. If we
can surrender all our thoughts, words, and deeds
to her, she, as phalaharini, will free us from all
bonds and make us blissful. P
Note and References
9, 1997), 6.253.
2. Chandi, 11.6.
3. Brahmachari Akshaychaitanya, Te Compas-
sionate Mother, trans. Swami Tanmayananda
(Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 2009), 150.
4. Tere are two versions of the exact date: in
his Sri Sri Ramakrishna Lilaprasanga Swami
Saradananda gives 25 May 1873; in the Sri Sri
Mayer Katha the day appears as 5 June 1872 and
the Holy Mother is reported as saying that the
puja was held about a month and a half afer her
arrival in Dakshineswar.
5. Swami Saradananda, Sri Ramakrishna and His
Divine Play, trans. Swami Chetanananda (St
Louis: Vedanta Society of St Louis, 2003), 352.
Nikhilananda, (Chennai: Ramakrishna Math,
2002), 408.
7. Bhagavadgita, 9.10.
8. Gospel, 609.
9. Complete Works, 7.484.
10. Swami Gambhirananda, Holy Mother Sri Sarada
Devi (Chennai: Ramakrishna Math, 2004), 361.
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PB July 2014 448
Eternal Words
Swami Adbhutananda
Compiled by Swami Siddhananda; translated by Swami Sarvadevananda
(Continued from the previous issue )
I
f you compare yourself with a person lying
on the street, you will not feel pain, rather
you will feel peace. As soon as you compare
your own situation with that of a rich person,
sufering will come to you. Give thanks to God
that you are not sufering like the one lying on
the street. You have at least a place to stand and
some morsels of food to eat; you are not suf-
fering much due to any particular need. One
should pray to God when pain and sufering
come. Moreover, one should see how many
people are sufering more than you. If one can
think in this way, one gets the power to endure
ones sufering and obtain peace of mind.
How much I tortured my body during my
youth by choosing to perform austerities! I
didnt realize then what a great need there was
to be in good health. Now I can see that if ones
health is not good, how can one call upon God?
Now I wish to call upon him more intensely, but
either one disease or other is constantly going on
in my body. What sufering I feel! What more
can I say? As the vitality of the body wanes, all
of these things hold me down.
Sadhus should stay in those places where
there is some availability of bhiksha, alms, and
water. As soon as one wakes up in the morn-
ing, one thinks, where shall I go for bhiksha?
How much time goes to beg for alms! For that
reason Haridwar and Rishikesh are good places
to perform austerities. Sadhus in large numbers
stay in those places because there is the facility
of obtaining food and water. Te Master used to
say: Te food collected by bhiksha from door to
door is extremely pure. Tey [people] cannot
add much of their desires when they give only
one piece of bread to a sadhu.
Once at Entally [in Calcutta] I asked a de-
votee who was very fond of me for some money.
On arriving I saw that devotee drinking some-
thing. Tereafer he put three or four rupees in
my hand. I took it at frst. Afer a short time,
returning the money into the devotees hand I
said: Let it be with you now. When I returned
other devotees asked me: Sir, why did you not
accept that money? Ten I said: He gave money
while he was drunk. Aferwards another mood
may come; then it will be a degradation for both
the giver and the receiver. Tat is why I returned
the money.
Tere is no happiness in this world. Tere is
no happiness even afer death. However much
wealth, wife, children, honour, and fame one
may amass, even then there is no happiness.
Tere are happy people who have no sufering,
who have only peace, like [the sages] Sanaka,
Sanatana, Sanatkumara, and Shukadeva. Tey
are ever young, ever childlike, beyond disease
and bereavement and have no sufering at all.
Tey are all the time in peace. All of the power
of God is in them.
A small part of ones mind turns towards re-
ligion and one starts to grow ones hair long.
My dear, if one grows ones hair long, will that
make one religious? Religion means one will
have to realize God in this very life. One does
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449 PB July 2014
Eternal Words 49
not become religious only by saying: dharma!
dharma! One needs to do some karma; one
needs to perform spiritual practices.
Parents will expect something if their son starts
earning money. One should try to help ones par-
ents as much as one can, even if they have enough
means. If one does not help, ones parents become
hurt. But if they ask you to marry and you have
no desire to do so, you should not marry on the
promptings of your parents. Tere is no harm in
that. Te parents themselves have experienced
sufering by marrying, yet they want their son to
experience sufering as well. Tis is worldliness!
If you stay together, it is natural that occa-
sionally a few kind or unkind words will be ex-
changed. Even if it happens, must one keep all
those things in ones mind all the time? When
it happened, it happened. One should not har-
bour the memory of it in ones mind; one should
drive it out. Many such incidents used to happen
between us. We used to tell each other: Brother,
dont keep it inside. Te Master would say: Te
anger of a sadhu is like a mark on water.
Oh my dear, that country where there are no
gods or goddesses or temples of gods is like a
cremation ground! In happiness and in misery,
in difculties and in turmoil, you should always
go to see the deity. It is very good to create these
impressions. Seeing the deity during ones happy
moments surely brings purity. One surely feels a
little inspiration when one goes near the deity.
At least at that time one feels extremely good;
one does not remember anything of the family
afairs. Tat is certainly a beneft.
In one moment you say something is good, the
next moment you say it is bad. In a sense, you do
not pay proper consideration before you speak.
Tat is why this happens. One should only speak
afer analysis and afer ones mind accepts the idea.
Ten there will be no confusion. Otherwise, one
will ultimately sufer the consequences.
At Kashi many have established Shiva
lingams, but many Shiva lingams do not get even
a drop of water. Tis is a matter of great sorrow!
It is certainly good to establish Shiva lingams.
But at the same time, one should arrange for
their regular worship and food oferings; then
only will come some good result out of it.
Te dog is more faithful than many people. If
a wicked person enters the masters house, the dog
will bite him. If it cannot do that, at least by bark-
ing at the person, the dog will awaken everyone.
But the masters ungrateful servant says nothing.
One should not receive any instruction on
any topic from a person who lacks knowledge
of that subject. What will a ginger-vendor know
about sheep?
From early childhood one should maintain
purity. One should be restless for God. Other-
wise, at a young age, falling prey to the bad
whims of ones mind, a person comes to ruin. Is
it an ordinary matter to be upright at that age?
If a person can stay pure in his body, mind, and
speech for thirty years, some spiritual experience
will spontaneously arise.
What will come from being friends with
someone whose mind is diferent from yours? If
your respective goals become one, then only can
you become compatible. One of you is always
running around only with bad motives and the
other is thinking about becoming a sadhu. For
this reason you are not getting along. One is al-
ways blaming the other. Tere will be no prob-
lem if each holds to his own ideal.
My dear, can a person be an untouchable? It
is only karma that makes one an untouchable.
It is undoubtedly nice to serve society. How-
ever, God realization is not possible by such
means. To realize God one should come out of
worldly life without a single possession. You ask,
Can one not attain God through selfess work?
No. Te mind may be purifed, but to realize
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PB July 2014
God one will have to come out of the world
without a single possession.
Do you know what madhukari is? A bee sits
on each fower. It collects and eats nectar little by
little. Similarly by begging from house to house a
sadhu collects, morsel by morsel, the food he will
eat aferwards. People give alms to sadhus with
diverse desires. Whatever quantity they give, that
much desire they will add to it. For this reason a
sadhu does not take more than one morsel from
each house. Tis small desire does not harm ones
devotional and spiritual practices. If one collects
a smaller amount of alms, then the quantity of
their desires is also reduced. At the same time,
one can remain free. For this reason the Master
inspired us to perform madhukari. Madhukari is
very good; it is congenial for sadhana. Te Mas-
ter was very fond of food collected by madhukari.
Sri Ramachandra did not perform any animal
sacrifce. If you listen to his instructions, it will
surely bring you good. At the time of worship
you should pray to Sri Ramachandra and Mother
Durga with folded palms and tell them of your
suferings. Mother of course knows everything.
You should say no to animal sacrifces. If people
listen to you, it is good; if not, what can you
do? Tey will cause their own sufering. What
is that to you? Sri Ramachandras worship was
sattvic. Ofering animal sacrifce and the like are
all rajasic behaviours and attitudes.
Tere is no greater enemy than one who
stands as an obstacle in ones way to God and
the path of dharma.
Dont fnd fault with heroic persons. It is
wrong to fnd fault with valorous persons be-
cause, who can say in which attitude they are
performing their work?
It is the result of much austerity if, at the time
of giving up ones body, one can take the name of
God. Tat person is surely virtuous.
Jesus Christ said that the wrongdoers cannot
reach God, but those who are sinless and pure
can reach him. God reveals himself to them.
Do you know the beneft of giving in char-
ity? It helps in meditation and japathe mind
of the giver will remain open, cheerful, and pure.
Such a mental state is very favourable for japa
and meditation. Te fruits of the actions of pre-
vious lives are counteracted. Only one who has
money will perform charity; one who has none,
will repeat the name of God and call upon him
to remove ones sufering. Tis will help purify
the mind.
Going through sufering himself, Sri Rama-
chandra demonstrated that even God [as an ava-
tara] has to undergo sufering if he takes a human
body. What to speak of ordinary people! What
A sadhu at Varanasi in the late 1920s
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451 PB July 2014
Eternal Words 51
does it matter to God whether his kingdom re-
mains or goes? Dasharatha made Sri Rama king.
Yet, when he sent him to the forest, Sri Rama
gladly lef for the forest.
If you are honest and pure, God will surely
help youwhat to speak of help from a human
being! Sri Krishna himself stayed with Arjuna
as his charioteer during the war. Arjuna got
frightened and said: Friend, what will hap-
pen? Bhagavan replied: Yato dharmastato
jayah; where there is dharma, there is victory.
Sri Krishna could have said, Friend, I am there,
what is there to fear? But he did not say that.
One should not eat items ofered by a dishon-
est person; ones understanding will become dis-
honest. Te food of an honest person is pure. By
partaking of such food ones mind becomes pure.
Ones mind becomes cheerful seeing a pure
soul who has done meritorious acts. On the
other hand, ones heart trembles seeing a sin-
ful person.
Everybody is verily Gods child. But surely
one is a good child who shows devotion to God
and takes refuge in him.
Is God your bond slave that he will move
according to your dictates? God is self-willed.
Everyone must move according to his will.
If one associates with the unholy, unholy
understanding will overpower one. Holy under-
standing develops when one associates with the
holy. As is the company you keep, so will be the
result you obtain.
One sufers and dies on account of ones de-
sires. Desire grows continuously. Tere is no
hope for genuine happiness unless ones desires
go away.
There is no happiness for anyone in this
world. One who has money has worries also
[for fear of thieves and others]. One who has
no money also sufers [on account of poverty].
Verily, one alone is happy who has realized God.
One should always live with God. One should
not be envious of anybody. Envy alone creates all
types of obstacles. Envious people only sufer.
One who has no possessions in this world,
who except God will one call upon? One alone
is praiseworthy who calls upon God though one
has everything.
Do ones bad habits go away only by having
holy association? One must do spiritual prac-
tices. Tere is a proverb that a friendship de-
veloped between a swan and a crow. Te crow
invited the swan over and then the swan invited
the crow. Te swan fed the crow delicious items,
whereas the crow ofered the swan garbage. Te
meaning of the proverb is this: although the
crow associated with the swan, the crows inher-
ent nature remained unchanged.
As per the instructions of your guru, you are
now calling upon God with that very name you
have received during the time of initiation. But
if you wish to think of God in ten other forms,
remember that your Chosen Ideal is playing
through all these forms. One can call upon God
with the help of the name and form only; there
is no loss or gain in whichever way you call on
him. In this, again, whom are you rejecting? If
you call upon one, you call upon everyone. If
you take the name of one, that itself is equal to
taking the name of everyone. Again, even if you
call upon God superimposing diverse names and
forms, you are really calling upon your Chosen
Ideal only. Tat will not bring any restlessness or
feeling of separation. But if diverse forms appear,
what does it matter if everybody is there within
that One? Tose are mere doubts. It is a bit dif-
fcult to remove them until one has the direct
experience of the Atman. It is a mistake to have
such doubts. God is surely everything.
Everyone can give instruction regarding
dharma, but it is very difcult to practise dharma.
It does not happen without the grace of God.
PB July 2014 452
It is very much necessary to read the scrip-
tures. Ten only ones understanding gets re-
fned. Unless ones understanding is refned,
discernment does not arise. By what tools will
one discern the real from the unreal?
Whether one is a householder or a sadhu,
God is displeased with one who does no
karmaspiritual practices. Tere are two types
of karma: inner and outer. One must do either
one or the other of these types of karma. How
will you understand God without doing karma?
In this Kali Yuga the focus of peoples minds
is on food. One needs food and clothing. Surely
one should make an efort to obtain them; at the
same time, one should give ones mind to God.
Te Master used to say this.
What a huge uproar occurred centring
around brother Vivekananda! He only preached
the name of the Master. He used to say, there is
no other way except the Master; the Master is
truly the fountain of all types of progress. One
will be at a loss if one does not listen to brother
Vivekanandas instructions.
For those who want to realize Sri Rama-
chandra, they should take refuge in Hanu-
man; then, by his grace, they will quickly reach
Ramachandra. God is bound by the devotee. If
one takes refuge in a devotee, one can realize
the grace of God and attain him. God becomes
pleased if one shows respect to his devotee. For
this reason in order to know Sri Krishna one
should take refuge in Arjuna. Moreover, if one
wants to know Sri Ramakrishna, one has to take
refuge in Swamiji. When one takes refuge in
him, one comes to know the Master. Among
us it is Swamiji alone who frst understood the
Master. Later, by the grace of Swamiji, we have
understood the Master a little.
Shall we ever have a brother disciple like
Swamiji? How many people are giving lectures
and writing books. What good does that bring
to humankind? Whatever Swamiji has written,
he wrote afer experiencing it. Tat indeed is why
his writings will remain new forever. By read-
ing them, so many people will obtain peace now
and in the future! Te truth of the matter is that
realization is necessary. Without that, no other
means can bring anything; whether you give lec-
tures or even if you write books!
One has to undergo great sufering as soon
as one takes a body; no one understands this.
Everyone without exception is restless for hap-
piness, but they do not know how to attain
happiness. Sufering is in the mothers womb,
sufering is in birth, sufering is in life, sufer-
ing is also in deathwhere is happiness here?
Everyone is mad only afer happiness. Happi-
ness is in the realization of God alone. Tose
who have seen God are verily happy; they alone
have fulflled the purpose of taking a human
birth. Tey have so much sufering, yet they ex-
perience it only as happiness. If that is not ones
experience, taking a body is pointless and life is
merely sufering.
Te Master used to say: Tairi khana mat
chhoro; do not give up cooked food. If you give
up cooked food, it brings no beneft and per-
haps you will not get anything to eat that day.
Whatever may be the type of food, not paying
attention to whether it is good or bad, eat with
peace. If you eat with such satisfaction, your
body will remain healthy. Moreover, your mind
will become pure. Whatever food you take, eat
it afer ofering it to your Chosen Ideal. If it con-
tains any defect, that defect is removed once it is
ofered to your Chosen Ideal.
One should not listen to any criticisms of ones
guru; that will bring harm. If you have the power
to do so, give them a very good lesson; there is no
sin in that. If you have no such strength, in that
case, you should leave that place.
(To be continued)
453 PB July 2014
REVIEWS
For review in PRABUDDHA BHARATA,
publishers need to send two copies of their latest publications
Is India Civilized?
Essays on Indian Culture
Sir John Woodrofe
Standard Book Agency, 9 Anthony
Bagan Lane, Kolkata 700 009. 2012.
228 pp.
`
280.
hen William Archer published India and
the Future the common reader was duly im-
pressed. It was an Alfred A Knopf publication and
the year was 1918. Vilifcation of Indias culture by
myopic travellers and self-proclaimed academics
was nothing new, but this work was by a popular
journalist and translator of Ibsen. One had to take
him seriously. Probably the British too seriously
took his views about India being semi-barbaric.
Before long, on 13 April 1919, more than one
thousand peaceful protesters and Baisakhi pil-
grims were mown down at Amritsars Jallian-
wallah Bagh by the British army under the
command of General Dyer. Dyer was never re-
pentant of his act because his view of Indians
was coloured by the likes of Archer, so even in
1921 he would write: It is only to an enlightened
people that free speech and a free press can be
extended. Te Indian people want no such en-
lightenment. Tis is the point made by Archer
in his book. India is a benighted land. Pufed up
pride is splashed across the very frst sentence of
his book: Te Viceroy of India rules over three
hundred and ffeen million people, or in other
words, about one-ffh of the human race. It is
hard to keep ones blood pressure under control
while reading it, for when I received Woodrofes
book for review, I took up Archer again.
What astonished Sir John Woodrofe was the
apathy of the Indians in accepting such stric-
tures and by just turning away. Archer made fun
of just about everything Indian, including the
caste-mark, which gave the people a strange air
of savagery combined with fanaticism. He found
the jewellery worn by the women as a repellent
manifestation of a perverted sense of beauty.
More and more of such scurrilous abuse, but In-
dians did not show anger! When he goes on to
the art, architecture, and the rest of Indian heri-
tage, well, Archers pen proves to be no scripture,
and barbarism is a word that gets repeated with
monotonous regularity throughout the book. Of
course, Swami Vivekananda also comes under
Archers fre: Tat India which proposes to send
forth its Swamis to spiritualize the Western world,
the world of Berkeley and Kant, of Bergson and
William James! Archer was so ignorant that he
did not know William James had quoted Swami
Vivekananda at length in his classic, Te Varieties
of Religious Experience!
Such outrageous writing in the guise of a Ra-
tionalists view prompted Sir John Woodrofe to
come up with a rebuttal. Woodrofe was a law-
yer, Tagore Law Professor at the Calcutta Univer-
sity, and a much respected High Court judge. He
was also a Sanskrit scholar and had specialized in
tantric lore. He was aghast and answered Archer
point by point. Not that Woodrofe was turning a
Nelsons eye to the weaknesses that had crept into
Indias received tradition. He was also aware of
some of the Western educated Indians who were
so ignorant that they had no idea of their great
culture and who argued that the teaching of even
Indian philosophy requires an English education!
Every point made by Woodrofe is pure com-
mon sense. He says that though Indian civilization
has been under cultural attack since times imme-
morial, it has survived, enriching itself even in bad
times. Woodrofe quotes from great scholars like
Sir William Jones, Victor Cousin, and Freidrich
Schlegel, which is balm to our wounded soul. And
then he writes that this culture is no dead memory
like the Phoenician or Babylonian civilizations:
India lives. Up to now India has presented itself
as one of the immortal peoples, to use the word
W
PB July 2014 454
of (I think) some French writer whose name I for-
get. Sufering racial and social division, politically
disrupted, with a great variety of languages and
scripts, governed for centuries by strangers, She
has yet held together so that we can still speak of
India (138).
Page afer page Woodrofe comes up with de-
tails to defend Indian culture, how the nation has
drawn strength from certain religious concepts,
and how its varied philosophies are actually a
mark of strong intellectual power. Te monu-
mental ignorance of Archer, who said Indian art
and sculpture are demoniac monstrosities and
the paintings of Ajanta are not artistic, are laugh-
able, says Woodrofe, and gives an excellent de-
fence in his chapters A Reply, Bharata Dharma,
and Brahmanism.
Woodrofe repeatedly asks Indians themselves
to stand up for their great civilization by living it
and countering the false propaganda of the West.
He did not have to wait for long. Sri Aurobindo
began a review of Is India Civilized? in Arya in
December 1918. Te review blossomed into the
classic Te Foundations of Indian Culture. Com-
mending Woodrofe for his defence that actually
raised with great point and power the whole ques-
tion of the survival of Indian civilisation and the
inevitability of a war of cultures (13). Sri Auro-
bindo proceeded to give a clear, readable history of
Indian culture in English. Indian culture has a turn
to the spiritual without denying the world. Else,
ancient Indians would not have touched the high
spires of science and technology. But Archers at-
tack to decry it has a political motive. Te burden
of his inveighing against India is that she should
follow the canons of a so-called rationalistic and
materialistic European civilization. If allowed to
succeed, this rationalistic transformation would
spell doom for the genius of India, which was
moving towards higher achievements in the ma-
terial and the spiritual realms. Te present edi-
tion of Is India Civilized? carries Sri Aurobindos
comprehensive introduction to Te Foundations
of Indian Culture and makes it doubly welcome.
Te writings of Woodrofe and Sri Aurobindo
have not been in vain. By and large the Indian
does not speak disparagingly of his mother cul-
ture any more. With so much awareness that has
been created, this century is sure to make India the
spiritual guru of the world.
Prema Nandakumar
Researcher and Literary Critic,
Srirangam
Mandala:
The Art of Creating Future
June-Elleni Laine
New Age Books, A-44, Naraina In-
dustrial Area, Phase-I, New Delhi
110 028. Website: www.newagebook-
sindia.com. 2013. viii + 102 pp.
`
200.
F
ollowing the principles of the mandala, this
book of pragmatic value provides a success
formula to overcome the hurdles and achieve the
fulflment of our desires and aims. Te subtitle
Te Art of Creating Future says it all by show-
ing the mandala as an unfailing tool of crafing
our future. Te authors defnition of mandala
as the container of essence is signifcant. Man-
dala broadly refers to any device, diagrammatic
or environmental, that generates powerful doses
of energythe needed essencein us to realize
our intentions and aims.
After a brief introduction, the first chap-
ter chiefy describes the mandala in its pictor-
ial and sculptural aspects. Diferent traditions of
the mandala such as Tibetan, Taoist, and Tan-
tric and the concept of creating the mandala are
dealt with. Te author states that the mandalas
are physical tools that help improve our under-
standing by allowing us to afect our reality.
Te second chapter, Right-Brain Divinity,
deals with the right hemisphere of our brain as
a trigger of intuitive thought and its propensities
for divinity and integrality, while the lef hemi-
sphere is taken as a generator of logical thought,
individualism, and separation. A case is made for
striking a right balance between rational logic
and intuition in the pervasive context of the dom-
inance of the lef brain. Greater use of the right
brain, with its potential for divinity, creativity,
and omniscience, is insisted upon. Various ways
of interacting with the mandalas are discussed.
In the third chapter, Experience the Mystery,
an incessant mental and visual focus on the man-
dala is recommended. Mandala, a marvellous
455 PB July 2014
Eternal Words 55
vehicle to connect to source, has four phases, with
fve qualities involved in it, and six forms. Tis sub-
ject is discussed in detail. Te need for honing our
skills in the creation of a mandala is underscored
to ensure the manifestation of more subtle ener-
gies in us.
Te fourth chapter, How to Make Your Own
Mandalas, comes to grips with the intricacies of
the production of a mandala. Te fve types of
producing a mandala, the paraphernalia required,
and the methodology are set forth.
The fifth chapter, Mandala and YouCo-
creation, strongly stresses the imperative of inter-
action with the mandala afer its creation. Te rule
of one mandala at a time is laid down. A rambling
mind defeats the purpose of the mandala, while a
focused mind promotes it. Te personal experi-
ences of diferent users of mandalas are narrated
in graphic detail to show how the mandalas can be
harnessed to such varied purposes like the curing of
dog-phobia, the quick clinching of a property deal,
or the healing of serious ailments.
While the sixth chapter, Meet Me in the Field,
shows how the mandalas can work on the three
levels of our awarenessconscious, subconscious,
and unconsciousand how our reactions at dif-
ferent levels impact the range of our awareness,
the seventh chapter, Artist? Scientist? Shaman?,
maintains that the art aspect of the mandalas is
one of the most accessible and universal tools for
co-creation, especially in this age.
Te eighth chapter, I Am Tat, I Am a Man-
dala, the startling remark is made that each of us
is a multi-sensory mandala. Understanding that
we are a spirit within the bodythe container of
our essence (77) is of primary importance. We
are, in a way, not only receptacles of vibrant en-
ergy but radiators of energy as well. Te chapter
even deals with seemingly random and chaotic
things that, if taken care of, would contribute to
the accentuation of our energy. Aspects of our
mandalasuch as our appearance, our voice, our
speaking in positive terms, our food, our body
odour, our mental temper, our postures in difer-
ent situations, the way we maintain our homes,
the attention we pay to colours and decor, and
a host of other apparently minor thingsare
shown to be energy multipliers.
While Appendix I contains references for
further reading, Appendix II disclose feedbacks
from experiments instigated by the author using
the mandalas she created. Tere is a conclud-
ing section, titled Notes, that clarifes necessary
ideas arranged chapter-wise.
Tis paperback book presents relatively novel
ideas in charming vividness.
N Hariharan
Madurai
Reviewing Hindutva:
A Historic Perspective in
the Light of Vivekananda
Manoj Shankar Naik
Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan
Trust, No 5, Singarachari Street,
Triplicane, Chennai 600 005. Web-
site: prakashan.vivekanandakendra
.org. 192 pp.
`
100.
he book has been divided into two sections
comprising the pre-Hindutva and the post-
Hindutva periods. Tere is an introductory chapter
at the beginning titled Why this Book?, which lays
stress on the need to recognize the sacrifce done
by the martyrs to save India, especially Hinduism,
from being wiped out by foreign conquerors. It jus-
tifes the use of the word Hindutva in the Indian
context, supported by eminent Indian and foreign
writers. To many the word Hindutva is unpalat-
able, but the Supreme Court of India in its judge-
ment says: It is a fallacy and an error to proceed
on the assumption that Hindutva per se depicts
an attitude hostile to any religion other than the
Hindu religion. Hindutva is not to be equated
with or understood as Hindu fundamentalism.
Te frst section has been divided into six chap-
ters. In chapter one, IndiaA Legacy of Spiritual
Oneness, begins with a quote from the speech
given by Swami Vivekananda at the Worlds Par-
liament of Religions at Chicago on 11 Septem-
ber 1893. Te intention of this quote is to bring
home Indias rich heritage and legacy, which has
its timeless appeal and relevance.
Te next chapter, Social Inequality in India,
brings to the fore the sad plight of untouchabil-
ity in India, which led to the downfall of Hindu-
ism and the attempt to conversion by Christian
T
No bleed here
PB July 2014 456
missionaries. The chapter also quotes Swami
Vivekananda, who declared that the scriptures
do not bar the Vedas from being read by women
and shudras and attributed such injunctions as
interpolations by later-day brahmanas to exercise
their priestly hold.
Te third chapter, Seeds of Separatism, points
out very well how even prior to Veer Savarkars
birth the seeds of separatism were being sown
by dissidents. It shows how the so-called secular
historians distorted facts and portrayed national
leaders in a poor light, while making them look
fully responsible for the partition of Bharata into
India and Pakistan.
Te following chapter, Denial, Deceptions and
Distortions, quotes extensively Swami Viveka-
nandas views on the suferings of the people at
the hands of foreign occupants. Te chapter quotes
Mahatma Gandhis view on this topic and also pro-
vides facts of the damage perpetrated to the people
through centuries of foreign rule.
Te next section, Post-Hindutva Period, has six
chapters too. Te frst four chaptersHindutva
Unveiled, Te Two Nation Teory, What Led to
Partition?, and HindutvaMyths & Factsbring
to the fore the generosity of the Indians in accom-
modating the wishes of other communities, which
was not always properly reciprocated. Te chapter
cites Veer Savarkar and his works to prove that for
him nationality was superior to his love for his re-
ligion. His thoughts are presented along with com-
ments of eminent historians regarding the injustice
done to Indian ethos.
Santosh Kumar Sharma
Kharagpur, West Bengal
Essence of Spiritual Wisdom:
Inspirational Thoughts of
Eastern Masters
Comp. Rupali Segal and
Anirudh Vasdev
New Age Books. 2013. x + 157 pp.
`
250.
Tis collection of quotations is arranged themati-
cally and represents a broad spectrum of the spir-
itual traditions of the East.
Self-Knowledge:
Adi Shankaracharyas
68-Verse Treatise on the
Philosophy of Nondualism
Trans. Roy Eugene Davis
New Age Books. 2012. 76 pp.
`
125.
Te translator, a disciple of Paramahansa Yoga-
nanda, has written an elaborate introduction with
notes and commentary on this important primer
on Advaita Vedanta.
So You Shall Know
the Truth:
A Collection of Discourses
Svmi Prn
New Age Books. 2013. ix + 182 pp.
`
275.
Te erudite and enlightened author explains the
profound spiritual truths found in the Indian
scriptures through stories and illustrations.
The Main Ceremonies
of the Khasi
K S Marbaniang, Sitimon
Sawian, and Wallamphang Roy,
Trans. Bijoya Sawian
Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Cul-
ture, Riverside, Uzanbazar, M G Road,
Guwahati 781 001. 2012. Website:
www.vkic.org. xiv + 45 pp.
`
100.
Te book shows the simplicity, elegance, and
depth of the Khasi social and philosophical out-
look. Te Khasi way of life establishes a connec-
tion between the individual, society, and nature.
Comrades of God: Lives of
Saints from East and West
J P Vaswani
Gita Publishing House, 10 Sadhu
Vaswani Path, Pune 411 001. Website:
www.dadavaswanisbooks.org. 2013.
275 pp.
`
300.
In this highly inspirational book J P Vaswani gives
us brief and beautiful pen pictures of twenty saints
from many faiths, races, and ages.
BOOKS RECEIVED
457 PB July 2014
REPORTS
Commemoration of the 150th Birth
Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
Te following centres held various programmes
to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary
of Swami Vivekananda. Delhi: 4 three-day
workshops from 1 to 15 May 2014, in which 318
teachers were trained for conducting value edu-
cation programmes in schools. Japan: On 25
May the centre held the concluding function
of Swamijis 150th birth anniversary celebration,
comprising speeches and cultural programmes,
which was attended by about 400 people.
Swami Suhitananda, General Secretary, Rama-
krishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, the
ambassadors of India and Nepal to Japan, and
some other distinguished speakers including
Christian and Buddhist priests addressed the
gathering. A few books related to Swamiji and a
special issue of the centres bimonthly magazine
were also released. Kochi: A four-day workshop
on Te Complete Works of Swami Viveka-
nanda from 1 to 4 May, in which 40 youths
took part. Rajkot: Gujarat Ratha Yatra organ-
ized by the centre was launched on 11 May. It is
scheduled to cover nearly 250 talukas of 28 dis-
tricts in Gujarat. Ranchi Morabadi: A seminar
on Agriculture: Te Gateway to Prosperity
was held on 4 May, in which about 200 dele-
gates comprising scientists, university profes-
sors, government ofcials, farmers, and others
took part. Swamijis Ancestral House, Kol-
kata: 2 youth conventions, one at Sundarbans
area on 25 April and the other in Kolkata on 3
May; in all, 700 youths took part. A cultural
programme on 6 May, attended by nearly 650
people. On the centres initiative a devotees
convention and 3 public meetings were held at
diferent places in and around Kolkata from 27
April to 11 May; in all, about 1,400 people at-
tended the programmes. Trissur: A two-day
state-level seminar on Unity in Diversity on
14 and 15 May, attended by about 400 people.
Foundation Day
Te 118th Foundation Day of the Ramakrishna
Mission was celebrated at Belur Math on 1 May.
Srimat Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, Vice
President, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna
Mission, chaired the meeting and the Swami Suh-
itananda delivered the welcome address. Srimat
Swami Prabhanandaji Maharaj, Vice President,
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission,
and a few others addressed the gathering.
News from Branch Centres
For the frst time in its history, Ramakrishna
Mission Ashrama, Guwahati, launched a quar-
terly journal in Assamese language, titled Vivek
Bhaskar. It was released by Swami Shivamaya-
nanda, Trustee, Ramakrishna Math and Rama-
krishna Mission, on 1 May.
On the initiative of Ramakrishna Mission,
Colombo (Sri Lanka), a 3-foot bronze statue of
Swami Vivekananda was unveiled on 1 May at Sri
Ponnambala Vaneshwarar temple in Colombo,
which had been visited by Swamiji in 1897.
Seminar on Unity in Diversity at Thrissur
PB July 2014
Correction May 2014, p. 324: read published Odiya
texts and Manipuri sankirtanas respectively instead
of and then published in Odiya texts and Manipuri
sankirtanas respectively; also read brahmavadinyah
instead of brahmavadinah.
A 35-bed paediatric ward, staf quarters, and
a medical store at the Ramakrishna Mission
Hospital, Itanagar, were inaugurated on 14 May.
Te following centres conducted summer
camps for students, which included chanting,
bhajans, yogasanas, value education programmes,
and other activities. Aurangabad: 6 days (22 to
27 April), 145 children; Delhi: 15 days (16 to 30
May), 57 children; Kadapa: 7 days (29 April to
5 May), 220 students and 7-day residential camp
(19 to 25 May), 265 students.
Relief
Drought Relief Khetri centre distributed
40,000 l of drinking water from 24 to 28 May
among 400 families facing acute water scarcity.
Flood Relief Kankhal centre distributed
122,732 kg rice, 5,000 kg dalia (broken wheat
grains), 54,320 kg four, 45,472 kg dal, 5,128
kg sugar, 220 kg chira, 400 kg gur (molasses),
10,000 kg potatoes, 4,008 l edible oil, 49 kg
turmeric powder, 49 kg chilli powder, 11,831 kg
salt, 4,080 packets of biscuits, 1,060 kg pufed
rice, 4,457 kg milk powder, 3,124 kg tea pow-
der, 5,044 candles, 21,300 matchboxes, 217,000
halogen tablets, 3,340 dhotis, 1,840 saris, 1,575
sets of shirts and pants, 1,000 skivvies (high-
necked long-sleeved garments), 7,795 sweaters,
10,958 school uniforms, 17,838 assorted gar-
ments, 4,425 chaddars, 13,400 metres of cloth,
9,990 blankets, 428 quilts, 4,000 pressure cook-
ers, griddles, cooking pots, 126 sets of utensils
(each set containing 3 cooking vessels, a plate, 2
bowls, a tumbler, and a kettle), 765 buckets, 576
mugs, 1,670 dictionaries, assorted agricultural
equipment, 2,500 torches, 3,504 solar lanterns,
4,500 umbrellas, and 500 trunks among 5,714
families of 47 villages and 9,259 students of 195
schools in Guptakashi and Agastyamuni areas
from 1 March to 22 April. Dehradun centre dis-
tributed 100 shawls, 2,000 jackets, and 100
books among the afected families on 30 and
31 March.
Fire Relief Odisha: From 30 April to 8 May,
Bhubaneshwar centre distributed 1,200 kg rice,
600 kg dal, 226 kg salt, 113 kg edible oil, 250 kg
sugar, 226 saris, 226 lungis, 226 towels, 113 stoves,
113 torches, and 113 utensil sets (each set contain-
ing 2 cooking vessels, a cooking pot, a water-pot,
2 buckets, 2 plates, 4 bowls, 2 mugs, 2 tumblers,
a jug, a vegetable cutter, and other items) among
113 families whose houses had been gutted in a
fre at Banki town. Puri Mission centre distrib-
uted 50 kg chira, 5 kg sugar, 40 packets of bis-
cuits, 20 saris, 17 lungis, 6 pairs of garments, 22
towels, 10 bed sheets, 10 mosquito nets, 10 mats,
10 tarpaulin sheets, 8 sets of study materials, and
10 sets of utensils (each set containing a bucket,
2 cooking vessels, a ladle, a plate, a bowl, a tum-
bler, and a spoon) from 28 April to 3 May among
10 families whose houses were gutted in a fre at
Brahmagiri block of Puri town.
Distress Relief Te following centres dis-
tributed various items to needy people. Cherra-
punji: 50 saris on 14 February; Vrindaban: 900
kg rice, 900 kg four, 225 kg dal, 225 kg mustard
oil, 450 kg salt, 112 kg sugar, and 450 bars of
soap among 450 old widows on 2 May. Dinaj-
pur: 200 notebooks, 200 pens, and 206 sets of
utensils (each set containing a plate, a tumbler
and a bowl ).
Winter Relief Cherrapunji centre distrib-
uted 403 blankets from 10 to 25 December 2013
and 327 blankets from January to March 2014 to
needy people. P
Flood relief by Kankhal centre
61
SRI RAMAKRISHNA ASHRAMA CHARITABLE HOSPITAL
(A Branch Centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, West Bengal)
Sasthamangalam, Thiruvananthapuram-695010
Phone: 0471-2722125, 2722453, 2727607, 2726603, 2727393
Mob: 8289916882, 9895723607 Fax: 0471-2313502
E-mail: srkachtvm@gmail.com Website: www.srkachospital.org
The message of Sri Ramakrishna was brought to Kerala by Swami Vivekananda himself when he
visited this part of the country in 1892 during his Bharat Parikrama. He was in Thiruvananthapuram
for 9 days before proceeding to Kanyakumari on 22 December. Atlhough he made a group of
friends, admirers, and followers there, some of whom kept track of his later successful endeavours
but it was only in 1916 that the beginning for an official branch of the Ramakrishna Math was
made when Revered Brahmanandaji, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and the first president
of Ramakrishna Math & Mission laid the foundation stone for the Sri Ramakrishnas shrine at
Nettayam, Thiruvananthapuram. The 99 years old Ashrama with its beautiful serene background
has been sanctified by the visits and stay of many saints of the order including direct disciples of Sri
Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda.
There are no permanent structures other than the temple itself buit for the stay of sadhus so far.
All the sadhus, especially elderly swamis have been put up with great difficulty all these years due to
lack of even basic facilities and it was decided to construct a Sadhu Niwas along with a kitchen and
common dining hall for devotees and visitors as well. The estimate for the proposed two-storeyed
structure is just above ` 1,00,000,00 (Rupees one crore) and the work will be begun in the middle
of June and finished within 12 months. We earnestly appeal to the devotees and well wishers of Sri
Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda to contribute for this noble project and
receive Their blessings. All donations are exempt from Income Tax rule under 80G.
Your contribution may be sent to the above address or remitted directly to any of the following
bank accounts of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama:
Account No: 3054 9599 482 State Bank of India Jawaharnagar branch IFSC SBINB0004685 or
Account No: 08211 0100 7063 Canara Bank Sasthamangalam branch IFSC CNRB0000821 or
Account No: 4018 2200 001 039 Syndicate Bank Sasthamangalam branch IFSC SYNB0004018
Yours in the service of the Lord,
Swami Mokshavratananda
Adhyaksha
LETS HAVE A
RETREAT
64
Lach soul is potentially divine.
The goal is to manifest this
Divinity within.
Strength is life, weakness is
death.
Iear nothing, stop at nothing.
You will be like lions. We must
rouse India and the whole
world.
Never say, No, never say, I
cannot, for you are infinite.
Swami Vivekananda
10, Dr Sarat Banerjee Road Kolkata 700029
www.dreamzgroup.co.in
65

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